A2BP_SALI Old and Middle English Literature

Faculty of Education
autumn 2020
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 3 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Zdeněk Janík, M.A., Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Mgr. Jiří Šalamoun, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Lucie Podroužková, 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
A2BP_SALI/Kombi001: Fri 9. 10. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, Fri 23. 10. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, Fri 6. 11. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, Fri 20. 11. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, Fri 4. 12. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, Fri 18. 12. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, J. Šalamoun
A2BP_SALI/Kombi002: Fri 16. 10. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, Fri 30. 10. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, Fri 13. 11. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, Fri 27. 11. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, Fri 11. 12. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, Fri 8. 1. 15:00–16:50 učebna 10, J. Šalamoun
A2BP_SALI/Kombi01: Fri 9. 10. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Fri 23. 10. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Fri 6. 11. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Fri 20. 11. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Fri 4. 12. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Fri 18. 12. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Z. Janík
A2BP_SALI/Kombi02: Fri 16. 10. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Fri 30. 10. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Fri 13. 11. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Fri 27. 11. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Fri 11. 12. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Fri 8. 1. 10:00–10:50 učebna 10, Z. Janík
A2BP_SALI/Prez001: Mon 9:00–10:50 učebna 12, J. Šalamoun
A2BP_SALI/Prez002: Mon 11:00–12:50 učebna 12, J. Šalamoun
A2BP_SALI/Prez01: Wed 11:00–11:50 učebna 56, Z. Janík
A2BP_SALI/Prez02: Tue 17:00–17:50 učebna 63, Z. Janík
Prerequisites
( A2BP_PJ1B Practical Language 1B && A2BP_GR1B Grammar B && A2BP_SFFB Phonetics Seminar B ) || A2BP_SOZK Complex Exam
A reading proficiency adequate to university level. Introduction to Literature course.
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
The course is the first in the series of the so-called survey courses, and aims to map out the period of the British literature from the beginnings till the end of the 18th century. The seminar is based on reading and analysis of selected extracts, and activities and discussions related to them. The goal of the course is that the students are acquainted with chief works, authors and topics of the relevant periods,will achieve an in-depth understanding of the British life and culture and will exercise their reading and other competences.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
1) identify and describe major trends in British literature and understand their relationship to British society and culture
2) develop their skills in analytical reading and proposal writing
3) research, prepare, and hand in a proposal for an academic paper
4) understand and frame literary works as a form of social commentary which responds to specific historical occurrences
Syllabus
  • 1.Introduction to the course: organization, content, final assignments.
  • 2. Introduction to Old English period: “The Dream of the Rood,” “Parable of the Sparrow” and riddles.
  • 3. Beowulf: The Old English Epic Poem.
  • 4. England in the Middle Ages and Chivalry: Gawain and the Green Knight.
  • 5. Middle English Literature: Geoffrey Chaucer in Context. (“Prologue to Canterbury Tales” and “The Wife of Bath’s Tale.”)
  • 6. Elizabethan Era: Shakespearean sonnets.
  • 7. Class canceled (Independent Czechoslovak State Day)
  • 8. Elizabethan Era: The Many Layers of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
  • 9. The Dawning of a New Genre: The Novel and Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (part one).
  • 10. Robinson Crusoe (part two).
  • 11. Satire against Progress?: Jonathan Swift’s Modest Proposal and Gulliver’s Travels.
  • 12. William Blake and the Beginnings of Romanticism.
  • 13. Summary and conclusion of the course.
  • Since the combined version of this course only has six contact lessons, half of the readings will be discussed in the Moodle course.
Literature
  • PODROUŽKOVÁ, Lucie. A Reader in British Literature: Part I. 2nd ed. Brno: PdF MU, 2005, 132 pp. 2. vydání. ISBN 80-210-3638-9. info
  • BARNARD, Robert. Stručné dějiny anglické literatury. Translated by Zdeněk Beran. Vyd. 1. Praha: Brána, 1997, 251 s. ISBN 8071767050. info
Teaching methods
Discussion, small group work, lecture, in class writing exercises.

Students can deliver short (5 minute) presentations on current matters influenced and interconnected with any of the discussed texts for extra points.

(The literary part of the course is inspired by the theory and practice of dialogic teaching (as proposed by Robin Alexander). To that end, each class employs a different communicative activity which is used to: (i) introduce students to some possible ways of teaching literature, (ii) enable students to understand the discussed texts on a deeper level, (iii) foster the spirit of a learning community.)
Assessment methods
Literature part:
Participation in collaborative learning and discussion based activities (50%)
Test (50%).

Cultural part:
A final quiz.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
http://moodlinka.ped.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=1312
During the course, students read one longer text (a novel) and watch a Shakespearean play. Reading assignments for the remaining sessions are of a shorter nature.

Moodle support can be accessed at: http://moodlinka.ics.muni.cz/course/view.php?id=1312

The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Autumn 2007, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Autumn 2010, Autumn 2011, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, Autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019.
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