English literature: in-depth study of a literary movement [ LGERM2726 ]

Evaluation : Oral and/or written exam. When the course is organised as a seminar, active participation (oral presentation, discussions, term paper) is taken into account.

This course offers students an opportunity to analyze the dominant literary and artistic movements of the twentieth century: from pre-modernist to postmodern and postcolonial fiction. The class starts with an introduction to Modernism illustrated by two key texts of the movement: Joseph Conrad’s premodernist Heart of Darkness and Virginia Woolf’s Modernist novel Mrs Dalloway. The second section of the course focuses on Pauline Melville's The Ventriloquist's Tale as a response to Conrad’s tale and as exemplifying postcolonial agendas.  A visit to the Tervuren museum and a guided tour of the temporary exhibition “Congo, 50 ans : l’indépendance racontée par les congolais” will enable students to gain insights into the (Belgian) (post)colonial situation. The course will then explore how modernist texts have been reappropriated and rewritten by postmodern creative writers.  Characterized, among others, by intertextuality, metafiction, fragmentation, a blend of high and low culture and pluralism, Postmodernism remains a key literary movement. This class will contextualize the postmodern cultural phenomenon and then examine three postmodern texts:  Michael Cunningham’s The Hours, Ian McEwan Atonement and Art Spiegelman’s Maus (graphic novel). Students will prepare readings and questions prior to class time to facilitate discussion (3 assignments). This course also includes references to cinematic productions.

Prerequisites : an introductory knowledge of English literature and a good proficiency in English (advanced level, B2 + in terms of the Common European reference framework).

Teaching material : Secondary literature linked to the topic of the course. Reading of the selected literary works and of critical studies.