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ENG-20050 - Module Specification
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

ENG-20050 - The Renaissance: Shakespeare and Beyond
Coordinator: Becky Yearling Room: CBB2.061 Tel: +44 1782 7 34282
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office:

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

The 16th and early 17th centuries are a key period in the development of English literature. This was the age of Shakespeare, and during this time he and his contemporaries produced some of the most interesting and exciting plays ever written. It was an age of lyric poetry, with the development of the English sonnet, and the astonishing, challenging works produced by writers like John Donne and Mary Wroth. It was also a time of great historical change, with important debates going on about the nature of religion, the status of women, and the new developments in science. In this module, we will study a wide range of texts from this period, from tragedies to the speeches of Queen Elizabeth I to romantic and religious poetry. We will explore themes such as gender, sexuality, social criticism, religious faith and family relationships. We will also learn about early modern book publishing and the modern editing process, and you will have the option to create your own mini-edition of some early modern texts as one of your assignments.
Besides giving you some familiarity with a specific period in English literary history, this module will also help develop skills appropriate to the study of literature more generally. These skills include textual analysis, constructing cogent arguments supported by evidence, the capacity to recognise culturally and historically different perspectives, and the ability to reflect critically on those perspectives.
Suggested introductory reading:
Susan Bruce and Rebecca Steinberger, eds., The Renaissance Literature Handbook (London: Continuum, 2009)
Michael Hattaway, Renaissance and Reformations: An Introduction to Early Modern English Literature (Oxford: Blackwell, 2005)
Jason Scott-Warren, Early Modern English Literature (Cambridge: Polity Press, 2005)

Aims
To give students a grounding in the literature and context of one of the most important periods in English Literature.
To develop students' abilities in reading, analysing and coming to informed judgement about major, complex works of poetry, prose and drama.
To give students an insight into how publishing worked in the early modern period, and allow them the chance to engage practically with the modern editing process.

Intended Learning Outcomes

demonstrate a sophisticated grasp of the close reading of complex literature: 1,2
identify and critically discuss key features of early modern literature with regards to themes, genre, gender and politics: 2
competently research, organise, reference and present their ideas in written form: 1,2
display an understanding of the connections between literature and its social, cultural, intellectual and historical contexts: 2

Study hours

12 x 1 hour lectures (12 hours)
12 x 1 hour seminars (12 hours)
Reading and class preparation (84 hours)
Short paper writing (12 hours)
Final essay or edition preparation and writing (30 hours)


School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Assignment weighted 30%
Close reading
In this assignment, students will pick 10-40 lines from one of the module's set texts and perform a close analysis of them. These lines may be a whole poem (e.g. a sonnet) or an extract from a longer work. They will be supported and advised by their tutor in picking their extract. Total assignment length: 1000 words.

2: Options weighted 70%
Research essay or mini edition
Students have the option to EITHER write a researched essay on texts studied on the module OR create a mini-edition of four sonnets. If they choose to write a research essay, they will choose a question from a list of c.8 and write about at least two set texts. They will be expected to use and engage with secondary criticism. If students do the mini-edition, they will choose 4 sonnets from a collection of early modern facsimiles provided for them on the KLE. They will transcribe and edit those sonnets, adding notes and glosses, and also write a short introduction explaining who their edition is aimed at and what the rationale is behind their choice of poems. They will receive detailed instructions on how to complete both tasks in seminar and lecture sessions. Total assignment length for both tasks - 1500 words.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025