Aims

At the end of the course, students should be able to show insight into the distinctive features of major literary movements and genres. They should be able to situate them in their socio-cultural and historical contexts. Students will become familiar with important literary figures and canonical works of the historical period that is studied. They will be expected to know how to read and interpret some key texts. This course requires the writing of a critical essay which will form a major element of the final evaluation.

Main themes

This course offers a chronological and critical survey of English literature from the 18th to the 21st century. It examines and illustrates the main literary movements and genres of this period and places them in their socio-cultural contexts.

Content and teaching methods

This course traces the thematic and formal developments of English Literature (especially in the U.K., Ireland, and the Commonwealth countries) from the 18th century to the present. For several of the major authors, video extracts are used when the fiction has been turned into film (e.g. E.M. Forster, A Passage to India) or into a drama series for television (e.g. Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice).

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

Assessment: oral or written exam.

Teaching method: formal lectures; tutorials (10 hrs) help the students prepare their required reading and their critical essays.

Course materials: The Norton Anthology of English Literature II.
Audio-visual materials will be used to illustrate the course.

Other credits in programs