UCL - Dutch Literature : Introduction to a Critical Approach of Literary Texts

[GERM1134]

[30h] 3 credits

This course is taught in the 2d semester.

Teacher(s): Sonja Vanderlinden

Language: NL

Level: First

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

Acquiring a method of analysis for one or more literary genres though the analysis of canonical contamporary texts (19th, 20th, 21st century). This course will provide students with basic scholarly methods and tools enabling him/her to approach a literary text critically (poems, novels and short stories, plays).

Main themes

Close in-depth critical study of contemporary canonical texts. This course will introduce strudents to basics of narratology, stylistics and genre theory. Several literary texts (poems, novels, short stories, plays) will be analysed methodically.

Content and teaching methods

This course will start from a theoretical introduction to the main concepts of literary theory and the methodological tools enabling students to approach literary texts. Some canonical contemporary texts will be analysed in depth. Different genres will be studied (poetry, novel, short story, drama). The literary texts are first analysed as such (internal structure, the structuring of time and space, narrative perspective, characters, themes, forms and style) and then situated in their socio-cultural context. Students read the texts before the lectures and are strongly encouraged to participate in classroom discussion. They will sometimes receive questions to orient their reading and analysis.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Assessment : oral or written exam on the contents of the course and required reading.

Teaching method : formal lectures + 10 hours of tutorial (seminar sessions).