Module Identifier EN20120  
Module Title READING THEORY/READING TEXT 1  
Academic Year 2006/2007  
Co-ordinator Dr Richard J Marggraf-Turley  
Semester Semester 2 (Taught over 2 semesters)  
Other staff Mrs Carol M Marshall, Professor Peter T Barry, Dr D Kevin Mills, Mr Michael J Smith, Dr William G Slocombe, Dr Jayne Archer, Dr Luke A Thurston  
Pre-Requisite EN10420 , EN10320  
Course delivery Lecture   20 Hours. 20 x 1 hour lectures  
  Seminars / Tutorials   10 Hours. 10 x 1 hour Seminars  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Assessment Coursework Portfolio submission of 4800-6000 words, to be submitted in 4 x 1200-1500 word parts. Each part to be equally weighted and marked out of 100. Mark for overall portfolio to be the average of the marks for all 4 parts100%
Supplementary Assessment Resubmit any failed elements and/or make good any missing elements. Where this involves re-submission of work, a new topic must be selected. 

Learning outcomes

On completion of this module students should typically be able to:

1. summarise and explain some of the basic concepts and key ideas underpinning a range of theoretical approaches;

2. distinguish between different theoretical approaches;

3. describe the impact of particular theoretical approaches on the practice of literary criticism;

4. employ elements of particular theoretical approaches in the critical analysis of passages from literary texts.

Aims

This module aims:

1. to introduce students to some of the major theoretical formations in literary theory of the twentieth century;

2. to acquaint students with the work of a range of important literary theorists;

3. to investigate how different theories interrelate and confront one another;

4. to prepare students for the applied theory module EN30920 Reading Theory/Reading Text 2.

Brief description

This module aims to build on work introduced in EN10320 The Study of English. It seeks to introduce students to some of the major theoretical formations in literary theory of the twentieth century; to acquaint students with the work of a range of important literary theorists; and to investigate how different theories interrelate and confront one another. It also aims to prepare students for the applied theory module EN30920 Reading Theory/Reading Text 2.

Content

Lecture Topics

1. Why theory? Saussure and Semiotics
2. Structuralism, Barthes and Narratology

3. Materialist Criticism, Marxism and Ideology

4. Freud and Lacan

5. Feminism

6. Masculinity

7. Poststructuralism, Derrida and Deconstruction

8. Postcolonialism, Nation and Ethnicity

9. Landscape and Literature

10. Art, Digital Reproduction and Cybercommunities

Lectures and Seminars

There will be two lectures per week. Lectures offering explanations of theoretical ideas will be interlaced with lectures which seek to discuss theories in a cross-perspectival fashion. One seminar per week will provide the opportunity for more detailed exploration of lecture topics

Module Skills

Problem_solving Completing the portfolio requires students to convert broad areas of theoretical knowledge into succinct and specific applications  
Research skills Comparing different bodies of theory and identifying relevant strengths and weaknesses is required for the portfolio  
Communication Part of the portfolio assessment may require students to write for a specified audience or situation  
Improving own Learning and Performance The portfolio is a composite piece, and in itself encourages a self-reflective approach to learning; in addition, the first section receives feedback aimed at encouraging this learning process  
Team work Students will frequently work in sub-groups for seminars, preparing brief joint presentations of issues or problems in theory.  
Information Technology Sections of the portfolio may be presented in on-line format. PowerPoint or web-page presentations will be accepted for specified sections of the portfolio. There are rich on-line resources for the study of literary theory and students will be encouraged to make use of these via the VLE platform  
Personal Development and Career planning The emphasis on presentation skills and practical applications will help to foster marketable skills  
Subject Specific Skills Reading literature using the `counter-intuitive? perspectives provided by literary theory  

Reading Lists

Books
** Should Be Purchased
Julia Rivkin and Michael Ryan (eds.) (2004) Literary Theory: An Anthology (2nd edition) Oxford: Blackwell 1405106964

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5