Logo UAB
2022/2023

Introduction to English Literature

Code: 106282 ECTS Credits: 6
Degree Type Year Semester
2504212 English Studies FB 1 2
2504380 English and Catalan Studies FB 1 2
2504386 English and Spanish Studies FB 1 2
2504393 English and French Studies FB 1 2
2504394 English and Classics Studies FB 1 2

Contact

Name:
Christina A. Howes
Email:
christina.howes@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
english (eng)
Some groups entirely in English:
No
Some groups entirely in Catalan:
Yes
Some groups entirely in Spanish:
No

Teachers

Paula Yurss Lasanta
Francesca Blanch Serrat

Prerequisites

There is no previous requirement other than to enjoy reading and literature. We recommend students to have passed the first-year subject "Història Cultural de les Illes Britàniques."

The entry language level of English is C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment, according to which the student is able to understand the main ideas of specific and abstract subjects, including technical arguments in his or her field of specialization (in this case, literature). Also, the student has to be able to interact with native speakers fluently without much effort, and to write clear argumentative essays in which opinions are expressed. The target level at the end of the course is C1.

It is the responsibility of the student to read the books and other materials required for the course. Any indication that students have not completed their reading will negatively affect their assessment. 

Objectives and Contextualisation

The objective  is to offer an introduction to the different genres and to the most representative authors of modern and contemporary English literature through reading, analysis and discussion in class of a selection of literary texts and related criticism. The main objective of the course is to promote 
and related criticism. 

It trains students, above all, in reading, interpreting a selection of texts and writing a critical essay. The training offered is essential to follow all subsequent English Literature subjects. 

On completion of this subject students will be able to:

  • Show knowledge of the main concerns of twentieth century English literature
  • Show a solid reading comprehension of literary texts in contemporary English
  • Produce basic literary criticism (short essays)
  • Use the resources of any university library in relation to the subject-matter English Literature
  • Express an informed assessment of the literary texts in English s/he may read 

Competences

    English Studies
  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values. 
  • Demonstrate skills to work autonomously and in teams to fulfil the planned objectives.
  • Identify and analyse the main currents, genres, works and authors in English and comparative literature.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Understand and produce written and spoken academic texts in English at an advanced proficient-user level (C1).
  • Use digital tools and specific documentary sources for the collection and organisation of information.
  • Use written and spoken English for academic and professional purposes, related to the study of linguistics, the philosophy of language, history, English culture and literature.
    English and Catalan Studies
  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams with the aim of attaining the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Make correct use of written and spoken English for academic or professional purposes, related to the study of language, history, culture and literature.
  • Recognise the most significant periods, traditions, tendencies, authors and works of literature in the Catalan and English languages in their socio-historical context.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Understand and produce oral and written academic texts with appropriateness and fluency in distinct communicative contexts.
  • Use digital tools and specific documentary sources to gather and organise information.
    English and Spanish Studies
  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Correctly use written and oral English and Spanish for academic and professional purposes, related to the study of linguistics, history, culture and literature.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams in order to achieve the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Recognize the most significant periods, traditions, trends, authors and works of literature in English and Spanish languages in their historical and social context
  • Understand and produce oral and written academic texts with appropriateness and fluency in distinct communicative contexts.
  • Use digital tools and specific documentary sources to gather and organise information.
    English and French Studies
  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams with the aim of attaining the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Recognize the most significant periods, traditions, trends, authors and works of literature in English and French in their historical and social context.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Understand and produce oral and written academic texts with appropriateness and fluency in distinct communicative contexts.
  • Use digital tools and specific documentary sources to gather and organise information.
  • Use spoken English and French correctly for academic and professional purposes related to the study of linguistics, history, culture and literature.
    English and Classics Studies
  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values. 
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams in order to achieve the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Recognize the most significant periods, traditions, trends, authors and works of Greek, Latin and English literatures in their historical and social context.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Understand and produce oral and written academic texts with appropriateness and fluency in distinct communicative contexts.
  • Use digital tools and specific documentary sources to gather and organise information.
  • Use written and spoken English correctly for academic and professional purposes related to the study of English linguistics, history, culture, and literature.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyse and interpret (in an introductory way) modern and contemporary literary texts in English.
  2. Applying the acquired scientific and work planning methodologies to the research in English.
  3. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures governing English literature.
  4. Demonstrate knowledge of the topics related to the study of literature and its methods of analysis.
  5. Demonstrate knowledge of topics related to the study of literature and its methods of analysis.
  6. Distinguish principal ideas from secondary ideas and synthesise their content in modern and contemporary literary texts in English.
  7. Express oneself in English, orally and in writing, in an academic register, using terminology appropriate to the study of distinct genres of modern and contemporary English literature.
  8. Give oral presentations in English at Advanced User level (C1) on topics related to nineteenth-and twentieth-century English literature.
  9. Give oral presentations in English at an advanced proficient-user level (C1), on topics related to nineteenth-and twentieth-century English literature.
  10. Give oral presentations in English on topics related to nineteenth-and twentieth-century English literature at an advanced proficient-user level (C1).
  11. Give oral presentations in English on topics related to nineteenth-and twentieth-century English literature.
  12. Locate and organise relevant English-language information available on the Internet, through databases and in libraries.
  13. Locate and organise relevant English-language information available on the internet, databases and libraries, and apply this to work and/or research environments.
  14. Participate in face-to-face and virtual debates in English at an advanced proficient-user level (C1), on topics related to modern and contemporary English literature.
  15. Participate in face-to-face and virtual debates in English on topics related to modern and contemporary English literature at an advanced proficient-user level (C1).
  16. Participate in face-to-face and virtual debates in English on topics related to modern and contemporary English literature.
  17. Participate in face-to-face and virtual debates in Englishat Advanced User level (C1) on topics related to modern and contemporary English literature.
  18. Substantiate, understand and explain the diversity of ethical and aesthetic values at different times in our history and culture.
  19. Use the English language with appropriate expression (correctness, fluency, pronunciation, communicative strategies) in both formal (presentations, debates, formal interactions) and informal (conversational) contexts, at proficient-user level C1.
  20. Write short argumentative essays or textual commentaries in English at Advanced User level (C1) on topics related to modern and contemporary English literature.
  21. Write short argumentative essays or textual commentaries in English at an advanced proficient-user level (C1) on topics related to modern and contemporary English literature.
  22. Write short argumentative essays or textual commentaries in English on topics related to modern and contemporary English literature at an advanced proficient-user level (C1).
  23. Write short argumentative essays or textual commentaries in English on topics related to modern and contemporary English literature.

Content

  • UNIT 1 The short story: Basic features. Analysis of 3 representative Modernist texts. – The early 20th century and Modernism and Postmodernism: 1900s-1980s
  • UNIT 2 Drama and theatre:  Analysis of one play – War and Post-war 1940s-1960s
  • UNIT 3 The novel:  Analysis of one novel – End of century, Postmodernism: 1980s.
  • UNIT 4 Poetry: Basic features. Analysis of a selection of 20th century poems. – Towards  Post-Modernism 1970s-1980s

 

Methodology

Text commentary
Debates
Master classes
Elaboration of critical essays and projects
Oral presentation of projects
Reading specialized bibliography
Tutorials

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Lectures, readings and debates 50 2 3, 1, 6, 7, 11, 16, 23, 19
Type: Supervised      
Assessment activities: writing and class assignments 25 1 3, 1, 2, 18, 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 13, 12, 14, 17, 16, 21, 20, 22, 23, 19
Type: Autonomous      
Reading and study 58 2.32 3, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 14, 17, 16, 21, 20, 23, 19

Assessment

Assessment is based on:

  • 3 Evaluated items  = 100% of total course mark
    • Item 1 (30%)= critical essay (short stories/Drama)  
    • Item 2 (45%)= critical essay (novel) 
    • Item 3 (25%)= group project (poems) 

Please, note:

  • All the subjects in this course follow continuous assessment. There is no final exam.
  • All the exercises are COMPULSORY. 
  • The submission of any exercise invalidates the student to get a final mark of "No Avaluable".
  • The minimum pass mark for the whole subject is 5.
  • The student’s command of English will be taken into account when marking all exercises and for the final mark. It will count as 25% of this mark for all the exercises and will be assessed as follows: Grammar (morphology and syntax): 30%; Vocabulary (accuracy and variety): 15%; Consistency (among sentences and paragraphs): 15%; Organization (sound argumentation of ideas): 20%; Style (expression and register): 15%; Spelling: 5%.
  • Reviewing procedure: Students have a right to review their exercises with the teacher in a personal tutorial. On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle)of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place. The student loses this right if s/he fails to collect the exercise/exam within the period announced by the teacher.
  • Re-assessment conditions: Only students who have completed the continuous assessment and passed at least ONE of the assignments given throughout the course may take reassessment. Students who are eligible for reassessment have got a final average exam mark between 3,5 and 4,9. If the final average exam mark is lower than 3,5 or they haven't passed at least 1 of the 3 items, the student will have failed the subject.
  • The reassessment consists of a two-hour written exam on matters related to the subject. The exam is awarded a Pass/Fail mark and the maximum possible final mark is a 5. 
  • Evaluation Activities Excluded from Reassessment: Group Poetry Project
  • VERY IMPORTANT! Partial or total plagiarising will immediately result in a FAIL(0) for the plagiarised exercise or the WHOLE SUBJECT if plagiarism is repeated. PLAGIARISING consists of copying text from unacknowledged sources –whether this is part of a sentence or a whole text–with the intention of passing it off as the student’s own production. It includes cutting and pasting from internet sources, presented unmodified in the student’s own text. Plagiarising is a SERIOUS OFFENCE. Students must respect authors’ intellectual property, always identifying the sources they may use; they must also be responsible for the originality and authenticity of their own texts.  In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. 

 

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Critical essay (Unit 3: novel) 45% 8 0.32 3, 1, 2, 18, 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 12, 21, 20, 23, 19
Critical essay (short stories and Drama) with bibliographic references 30% 4.5 0.18 3, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 13, 12, 21, 20, 23, 19
Group Project (Unit 4: poems) 25% 4.5 0.18 3, 1, 2, 18, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 8, 10, 11, 13, 12, 14, 17, 15, 16, 21, 20, 22, 23, 19

Bibliography

tudents are advised to buy the books before the course starts. 

 

UNIT 1: Short Story

The short stories will be uploaded in the Campus Virtual:  Katherine Mansfield, “Bliss”; James Joyce, “The Sisters” i Virginia Woolf, “Kew Gardens" 

UNIT 2: Drama

John Osborne, Look back in Anger. Faber and Faber Plays

  • ASIN: B00VYOBTYC

Recommended Guide:

Aleks Sierz, John Osborne's Look Back in Anger (Modern Theatre Guides). Continnuum-3PL; Edition: Annotated ed (10 de marzo de 2008)

  • ISBN-10: 0826492010
  • ISBN-13: 978-0826492012

UNIT 3: Novel

Kazuo Ishiguro, The Remains of the Day. Faber and Faber

  • ISBN-10: 9780571258246
  • ISBN-13: 978-0571258246

 UNIT 4: Poetry

A collection of poems will be uploaded in Campus Virtual.

 

Recommended Reading:

Caserio, R. (Ed.). (2009). The Cambridge Companion to the Twentieth-Century English Novel (Cambridge Companions to Literature). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CCOL9780521884167

Cavanagh, Dermot; Alan Gillis, Michelle Keown, James Loxley, Randall Stevenson (eds.),  The Edinburgh Introduction to Studying English Literature. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2010. 248 pages, ISBN 13: 9780748640256 ISBN 10: 0748640258.

Furniss, Tom & Michael Bath, Reading Poetry: An Introduction. Longman Inc., 1996. ISBN-13: 978-0133552980. ISBN-10: 0133552985

Thody, Phillip, Twentieth-century Literature: Critical Issues and Themes. MacMillan Press, 1996. ISBN-13: 978-0333615348 ISBN-10: 0333615344

Thomas, C. Foster, How to Read Literature like a Professor Revised Edition: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines.  HarperCollins Publishers Inc; Edition: Revised ed (13 de octubre de 2017).ISBN-13: 978-0062301673 ISBN-10: 9780062301673 

Webs:

Recommended dictionaries:

 IMPORTANT: Wikipedia, Sparknotes and similar webs are not academic sources. Students who plagiarize will get a FAIL. 

Software

Moodle, Wiki,