AJ2RC_AML1 American Literature to 1945

Faculty of Education
Autumn 2014
Extent and Intensity
0/0/24. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
PhDr. Irena Přibylová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
PhDr. Irena Přibylová, Ph.D.
Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Contact Person: Jana Popelková
Supplier department: Department of English Language and Literature – Faculty of Education
Timetable of Seminar Groups
AJ2RC_AML1/OS01: Fri 19. 9. 11:10–12:50 učebna 12, Fri 10. 10. 11:10–12:50 učebna 12, Fri 24. 10. 11:10–12:50 učebna 12, Fri 7. 11. 11:10–12:50 učebna 12, Fri 21. 11. 11:10–12:50 učebna 12, Fri 5. 12. 11:10–12:50 učebna 12, I. Přibylová
Prerequisites
A course in older British literature, familiarity with American history and geography.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Course goals: The course offers a basic insight to the development and interests of American literature from its beginnigs to the middle of the 20th century.Text examples show the variety of genres within non-fiction, fiction, as well as oral literature. In class work focuses on analysing important issues relevant to the period, as well as critical reading and discussing selected texts. Home work allows the student to explore in detail two full length texts (novels) from a wider choice (one of the 19th century, the other from the early 20th century).
In the end of the course, the student should be able to comment on the canon of the American literature, its highlights and drawbacks; analyze sample texts; read independently and critically.
Syllabus
  • Course outline:
  • Week 1: Introduction, requirements, general development of the American literature. Text examples: Psalms, Proverbs, Matthew (The Bible), spirituals.
  • Week 2: The Colonial beginnings. Text examples: Rowlandson, Franklin, Crevecouer, Freneau, Wheatley.
  • Week 3: The Romantic period. Text examples: Cooper, Thoreau, Melville, Poe, Longfellow.
  • Week 4: American realism and naturalism. Text examples: Twain, James, Dreiser, Dunbar, Whitman.
  • Week 5: American modernism. Text examples: Faulkner, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Hughes, Sandburg.
  • Week 6: American oral literature.Text examples: ballad, plantation tale, tall tale. Video/audio example.
Literature
    required literature
  • VANSPANCKEREN, Kathryn. Nástin americké literatury. [Praha]: Informační agentura Spojených států, 137 s. info
  • ZILBOORG, Caroline. American prose and poetry in the 20th century. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000, 128 s. ISBN 9780521663908. info
    recommended literature
  • The Heath anthology of American literature. Edited by Paul Lauter. 5th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006, xxii, 838. ISBN 0618532994. info
  • BRADBURY, Malcolm. Od puritanismu k postmodernismu : dějiny americké literatury. Edited by Richard Ruland, Translated by Marcel Arbeit. Vyd. 1. Praha: Mladá fronta, 1997, 492 s. ISBN 8020405860. info
Teaching methods
Minilectures, reading and analysing texts, power point and moodle support.
Assessment methods
Course evaluation and requirements:
active attendance
1 paper
1 oral colloquy
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2006, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2014, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/autumn2014/AJ2RC_AML1