Programme/Approved Electives for 2019/20
None
Available as a Free Standing Elective
No
This module analyses the major form of the American novel in the Nineteenth Century, defined as 'Romance' to distinguish it from the European novel which expresses itself predominantly in realistic form. Congruent with political and social ambitions for democracy, the 'Romance' suggests liberations of various kinds, principally a freedom from the constraints of too close an allegiance with the visible world, and as an alternative, proposes an arena of imaginative free-play which questions the seeming givens of that visibility. Here, the form is strongly bound up with providing alternative views and understandings of history.
Aims
The module introduces students to the work of some of the major canonical writers of the Nineteenth Century. These writers have often been said to work in the genre/tradition of the 'Romance', and the module seeks both to define that term and to analyse what ideas or literary strategies they held in common. In the work of post-WW2 literary critics, there has been an assumption that 'Romance' was primarily interested in questions of individual psychology; the module explores some of the ways in which 'Romance' forms may also be seen to be interested in questions of history.
Talis Aspire Reading ListAny reading lists will be provided by the start of the course.http://lists.lib.keele.ac.uk/modules/ams-20064/lists
Intended Learning Outcomes
analyse and discuss the work of major canonical writers of American novels in the Nineteenth Century: 1,2,3describe and evaluate basic features of mult-disciplinary scholarship (literary, historical and/or political) relating to study of the United States during the Nineteenth Century: 1,2,3describe and analyse basic features of the social, historical, and political identity of the United States in the Nineteenth Century: 1,2,3relate textual analysis to social, cultural and historical contexts: 1,2,3employ the basic bibliographical, referencing, and presentation requirements of the core disciplines: 1,2,3define the genre/tradition of the 'Romance' and analyse underlying ideas and literary strategies: 1,2,3
11 x 1-hour lectures; 11 x 1-hour seminars; 11 x 4-hour seminar preparation; 34 hours assignment preparation; 48 hours exam preparation and private study2 hours exam
Description of Module Assessment
1: Short Paper weighted 30%Exercise in close textual analysis of 1,000-1,500 wordsStudents will carry out a detailed close reading of an extract from one of the texts featured in the first few weeks of the module.
Feedback will be given on the Short Paper (submitted in Week 7) in one-to-one sessions in Week 9.
2: Exam weighted 60%End of Semester ExamUnseen 2-hour examination, in which students will be required to answer two questions from a choice of ca. 10 concerning thematic issues on the module
3: Class Participation weighted 10%Seminar participationAssesses general quality of contributions, as well as teamwork and time management in seminars and workshops