ENG-40065 - Module Specification
School of Humanities
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2020/21

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

ENG-30083

Description for 2020/21

The early modern period was saturated in violence. It was enshrined in the legal system: spectators flocked to see beheadings, hangings, and other forms of public execution and physical mutilation by the state. It was treated as entertainment: bears, dogs and cockerels were forced to fight each other to the death for the pleasure of paying customers. For men, it was often seen as a way of proving masculinity: going to war, or besting others in single combat, was a way of proving their worth. This module will explore the many ways in which violence manifested itself within Shakespeare's society, and the many different meanings that were attached to violent acts. We will study a range of early modern drama, by both Shakespeare and his contemporaries, and, in the process, learn more about early modern attitudes to revenge, warfare, the violated human body, and the relationships between violence and race, gender, religion and the law. We will think about why violence was so popular on the early modern stage, and what its appeal might have been for contemporary spectators. You will also, if you choose, have the opportunity to explore modern film adaptations of these plays and consider how modern filmmakers have responded to the violence of their source texts.

This module is designed to give advanced-level students a deeper understanding both of early modern drama and the social, political and cultural contexts that shaped it. The additional material included at Level 7 will enable students to explore their own specialised research interests, and to work at the forefront of the discipline. They will explore the role played by violence within early modern society from a variety of perspectives, including its part in constructions of masculine identity, in crime and punishment, and in community identity and state-building. They will also consider critically the relationship between violence and entertainment, both within an early modern and a modern context.

Intended Learning Outcomes

engage with complex issues both systematically and creatively, resulting in the formation of intellectually sophisticated, well-informed arguments: 1,2
demonstrate their development and application of advanced skills in the analysis of literary and/or filmic texts
: 1,2
critically assess the relevance and usefulness of current research and advanced scholarship in the discipline: 1,2
communicate research findings clearly to an academic audience, using a variety of written and oral means: 1,2
demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing programmes of research: 1,2

Study hours

24 hours seminars
2 hours small-group tutorials
2 hours essay planning sessions with tutor
112 hours assessment research and writing
160 hours seminar preparation

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment