2024-2025 / LGER0200-1

English literature a: Modern Literature(s) in English

Duration

30h Th

Number of credits

 Master in modern languages and literatures : Germanics, research focus5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : general, reasearch focus5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures: Germanics, teaching focus5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : general, teaching focus5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures: general, professional focus in Oriental studies (China/Japan)5 crédits 
 Master in multilingual communication, professional focus in intercultural and international organization communication5 crédits 
 Master in multilingual communication, professional focus in digital media education (Digital media education)5 crédits 
 Master in multilingual communication, professional focus in economic and social communication5 crédits 
 Master in multilingual communication, professional focus in language and culture5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : general, professional focus in translation5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : Germanics, professional focus in translation5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : German, Dutch and English (60 ECTS)5 crédits 
 Master in modern languages and literatures : general (60 ECTS)5 crédits 

Lecturer

Marc Delrez

Language(s) of instruction

English language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

"Shakespeare and the Middle Ages"



The course will urge a reconsideration of well-established critical clichés about this author, as well as a rethinking of the generative relationship existing between two important phases of the literary past, i.e. the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Shakespeare has been traditionally regarded as an author of the Renaissance, and until recently it would have been unthinkable to associate him with the culture of the Middle Ages - the only segment of his production identified as somehow medieval in theme being the history plays. Any other medieval elements in his work were widely considered as random unimportant survivals in a writer felt to be marking the emergence of the modern world, and to be illustrating all those ways of being that characterize our modern selves. As against this line of thinking, we shall examine the possibility that he may be a writer who was deeply embedded in the Middle Ages, and who inherited many of his shaping ideas and assumptions - about everything from language through culture and religion to stagecraft - from the medieval past. This will be attempted in the light of a selection of plays, with a special focus on Measure for Measure, Troilus and Cressida, and Pericles.           

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

The students are expected to develop such life-essential competences as familiarity with medieval literary culture, with Renaissance literary culture, with Shakespeare's work and sources, and with the particular idiom known as Elizabethan English.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

A dim remembrance of the first-year course on the history of English literature may come in handy but is not indispensable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Heuristic seminars, organised on a weekly basis and relying on closed readings of selected texts.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Face-to-face course


Further information:

Nil.

Course materials and recommended or required readings

See above.

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

oral exam


Further information:

The oral exam will provide an opportunity to rehearse the ideas and arguments developed in class, basd on a selection of critical material (secondary literature).

Among the criteria that will play a part in the evaluation, I wish to mention:

1. Diligence in terms of reading the recommended material.

2. Ability to develop a personal reflection on said material.

3. Sincerity of commitment to literary culture.

Work placement(s)

Not applicable.

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

The course will be organized in the first term. The seminars will be held on Mondays (9-11am) in room "Philo 2" (building A1/2/28c).

The first meeting will be held on Monday 30 September 2023, starting at 9am.

Contacts

Please contact Marc Delrez for any query concerning the course: marc.delrez@uliege.be

Association of one or more MOOCs