British Literature II

Instructor: Silvia HVOZDKOV, Mgr.

Instructor Contact Information: Department of Foreign Languages, Drazovska 4, 949 74 Nitra

Syllabus

Spring 2006
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Introduction to modern British literature

Specific characteristics of modern British literature
Main representatives of modern British literature (V. Woolf, J. Joyce, E. M. Forster, D. H. Lawrence, J. Conrad,
G. Greene.)
British War novel (Ballard)
The Theatre of the Absurd (Samuel Beckett)
Dystopia (G. Orwell, Aldous Huxley)
Introduction to postmodern British literature
Characteristics of postmodern British literature (main representatives: A. Burgess, . Wilson, J. Fowles)
Campus Novel (D. Lodge)

Recommended Literature:
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Burgess, A.: English Literature.

Wilkie, B., Hurt, J.: Literature of the Western World: Volume II, Second Edition.
Sampson, G.: The Concise Cambridge History of English Literature
Hilsk, M.: Modernist.
Hilsk, M.: Souasn britsk romn
Petrkov, D. : Naratvny diskurz (tyri kritick eseje).
Ford, B.: The Pelican Guide to English Literature 7.: The Modern Age
Allen, W.: The Modern Novel.
Ford, B.: The New Pelican Guide to English Literature 8.: The Present

Course Description:

This course is designed as a survey of modern and postmodern British literature; it covers selected works in British
literature from the 20th century to the presence. The main requirement is to read the texts. Unless you do that, the class
won't work. If you are interested in the material and willing to talk, it should prove to be an enjoyable and profitable
semester. If you read the works, you should do fine. The quizzes and final exam consist of objective and essay
questions. Students will also give reports on library materials, various researches, and personal responses that they are
required to do. Emphasis is on cultural context, and literary analysis of selected fiction, and drama. Upon completion,
students should be able to interpret, analyse, and respond to literary works in their cultural contexts.

Students will be able to:

Course Goals:

1. Discuss the works of major British modern and postmodern writers.

2. Trace the development of themes and genres within their cultural contexts.
3. Analyse literary works for their aesthetic features and thematic patterns.
4. Identify styles, themes, and works of major writers.
5. Examine a variety of critical approaches to literature.
Course goals lie beyond objectives. They are hidden in the colours of rainbow and flower petal
fragrances: not always immediately attainable, but always worth working toward. Lets hope by
the end of the semester, the literature we study will
nourish our emotional lives. The inner life that good writers reveal in their characters often
gives us glimpses of some portion of ourselves,
broaden our perspective of the world. Reading makes us aware of lifes possibilities as well as
its subtleties and ambiguities. Put simply, people who read literature experience more life and
have a keener sense of a common human identity than those who do not; and
give us some practical education. The study of literature engages us in the kinds of problem
solving important in a variety of fields, from philosophy, to science and technology. The
interpretation of literary texts requires us to deal with uncertainties, value judgements, and
emotions; these are unavoidable aspects of life.

Your Goals for This Course:

You will notice an enticingly empty space below. Use it to list your goals for this course. We will return
to discuss them together throughout the semester.

Objectives:

Utilise effective communication skills, including reading: to improve reading skills by paying close attention to
the genre, content, arrangement, and style of the works we read.
Be aware of the interrelationships of the humanities and the fine arts to life.
Think logically and critically: to develop skill in the interpretation of texts, especially in the effective use of
evidence and inference.
Encourage the ability to recognise the depth of literary art.
Understand one's cultural heritage: to explain how works of literature participate in the intellectual and political
history of their time yet grapple with enduring human concerns.

Policies:

We need you in class. A group of people shares a certain dynamic or spirit. Everyone should want to contribute to
that. I realise that emergencies arise. If you tell me beforehand, I will accept a reasonable absence. Travel plans, 1 day
doctor`s visits and other matters of your personal convenience do not count as emergencies. Unexcused absences will
lower your final grade by 5% per absence. The student bears the responsibility of being on time for class. If a student
comes late for any reason, he or she must inform the teacher immediately after class so that the student will be
recorded as tardy rather than absent. Three tardies count as one absence. The student must turn in work on time. In
an emergency, the teacher can allow the student to make up work within a week. To pass the course, students must
complete all assignments within the allotted time, regardless of grading weight on any given assignment.
Department of Foreign Languages will not tolerate academic dishonesty in any form. Whenever you put your name on
a quiz, test, or paper, you are pledging that you have neither given nor received inappropriate help. Any student caught
cheating on a test or plagiarising a paper will be dismissed from the course with a grade of F. First time offenders will
be punished to the full extent; you will not be given a second chance. If you have any questions, come we will try to
discuss them together. :)
I reserve the right to change the rules during the course.
Grading:
Participation
Presentations
Quizzes
Written work (essays and reflections)
Oral examination

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20
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30
20

Grading Scale:
1
excellent work (100 95)
1.5
above average work (94 88)
2
good work (87 80)
2.5
average work (79 74)
3
satisfactory work (73 - 68)
4
unsatisfactory (67 - lower) = failed

List of texts you are required to read throughout the semester. (Original English versions are necessary):
1) James Joyce: The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, The Dubliners, Ulysses.
2) Virginia Woolf: Slater`s pins have no point, Kew Gardens, Mrs. Dolloway, To the Lighthouse.
3) Anthony Burgess: A Clockwork Orange.
4) George Orwell: 1984.
5) J. G. Ballard: Empire of the Sun,
6) Samuel Beckett: Murphy/Molloy/Waiting for Godot, First Love
7) John Fowles: The French Lieutenants Woman, Enigma, Collector
8) Angus Wilson: No Laughing Matter, Raspberry Jam.