Admission requirements
None.
Description
During this course students (of English) will learn the basic skills necessary for the study of (English-language) literature. The student will learn how to analyse poetry, prose and drama by studying works from the sixteenth to the twentieth century. The focus will lie on the structural and stylitic elements of works of literature as well as their cultural and historical contexts. By doing several writing assignments students will take the first stepts towards writing literary-critical essays.
Course objectives
By the end of the course students will
have knowledge of key structural and stylistic aspects of poetry, drama and prose fiction.
be able to apply key literary terms in their critical reading of literary texts.
be able to independently formulate literary-critical questions.
be able to express their critical judgement in clear and well-structured language.
Timetable
Mode of instruction
Lectures
Seminars
Self-motivated sudy of assigned reading
Course Load
The course load fort his course is 280 hours.
13 hours of lectures
26 hours of tutorials
191 hours of reading (approximately 15 hours per week, but some weeks more than others)
30 hours exam preperation (revision)
16 hours for the writing assignments
Tutoring/opportunity to inspect exam: 4 hours.
These are approximate calculations only. Some students will read quicker and write slower and vice vesra
Assessment method
Two short written assignments, of which only the last is graded; minimum grade: 5 (20%).
A 3 hour mid-term exam during the exam week in October; minimum grade: 5 (30%).
A 3 hour end-of-term exam in December or January; minimum grade: 5 (50%).
The final grade is determined by calculating the average grade for the above-mentioned assignment and exams, which is rounded to the nearest half. A final grade below 5,5 (also 5,49) is insufficient. Only when the final grade is insufficient can students resit exam(s) and/or assignments that received a grade below 5,5 in January or March 2016. The resit grade will replace the original grade.
Attendance is compulsory. Unauthorized absence will mean that you cannot take part in the relevant exam(s).
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used to provide students with an overview of current affairs, as well as specific information about (components of) the course.
Reading list
Austen, Jane. Northanger Abbey (Penguin)
Greenblatt, Stephen, et al (eds.). The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 9th edition, Vol. I and II (Norton) [NOTE: do NOT buy the abridged “Major Authors” edition of the Norton Anthology].
Klarer, Mario. An Introduction to Literary Studies (foutledge 2013)
Hitchcock (dir), Rear Window (DVD)
James, Henry. The Turn of the Screw and the Aspern Papers (Penguin)
O’Connor, Flannery. Wise Blood (faber and faber)
Syllabus (full-time)
Syllabus (part-time)
Registration
Students cannot register through uSis, but must see the coordinator of studies and register with her. If you have any questions, please contact the departmental office, tel. 071 5272144 or mail: english@hum.leidenuniv.nl.
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Registration Studeren à la carte
Registration Contractonderwijs
Contact details
English Language and Culture student administration, P.N. van Eyckhof 4, room 102C. Tel. 071 5272144; english@hum.leidenuniv.nl.
Coordinator of studies: Ms T.D. Obbens, MA, P.N. van Eyckhof 4, room 103C.
Remarks
The reading for week 1 will be posted on Blackboard before the start of the course.