AJc206 British Culture, History and Literature 1

Faculty of Education
Spring 2024
Extent and Intensity
0/0/2. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Zdeněk Janík, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Lucie Podroužková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Světlana Hanušová, 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
Prerequisites
Praktický jazyk 1A
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
Students are introduced to history, literature and culture of Great Britain from the period of Roman Britain to the end of the 18th Century. The goal is to introduce important authors, literary movements, historical events and cultural context of the given period and analyze their interrelation. Students will understand how literary texts reflect historical events and cultural myths. They will learn to identify cultural values and interpret them with the purpose to enhance respect to otherness. Students will discuss the role of context, gender, race, and ethnicity in history and in forming of literary genres and topics.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course the student:
• will be able to read and interpret literary texts in English in both the literary and historical context
• will be able to grasp the interdepedence of historical development and its reflection in the arts
• will have produced a given number of short response papers throughout the semester
• will have read two literary works of the period
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to British History and Culture
  • 2. Britain from the Roman Occupation to Anglo-Saxon Period: the cult of warrior, Alfred the Great, Beowulf
  • 3. The Medieval England and the Ideals of Chivalry: Feudalism and Arthurian Legends (Sir Gawain and the Green Knight)
  • 4. Religious Reform and Piers Plowman´s dream vision
  • 5. From the Middle Ages to Renaissance: Geoffrey Chaucer and the Tudors
  • 6. The World as Stage: English Reformation and Renaissance Theater
  • 7. William Shakespeare
  • 8. Golden Age of Queen Elizabeth: Rise of English Empire and Renaissance Poetry
  • 9. Jacobite Period and Colonization of America. John Donne and Metaphysical Poets
  • 10. From Monarchy to Republic and Back: Religious schisms of the 17th Century. John Milton and Paradise Lost
  • 11. Classicism and Enlightenment: Rise of English Novel (Daniel Defoe)
  • 12. The Rise of Middle Class and Lawrence Sterne
Literature
  • A history of English literature (Orig.) : Dějiny anglické literatury. Část 1 : Dějiny anglické literatury. Část 2. info
  • British history in perspective : British history in perspective (Houndmills, Basingstoke, England) (OCLC-830a). info
  • The Hutchinson illustrated encyclopedia of British history. Oxford: Helicon, 2006, (728) p. ISBN 1859860051. info
  • A companion to Old and Middle English literature. Edited by Laura C. Lambdin - Robert T. Lambdin. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2002, xi, 433 p. ISBN 0313310548. info
  • PECK, Eva and Alexander M. PECK. Anglická literatura : panorama of English literature. Illustrated by Antonín Šplíchal. 1. vyd. Dubicko: INFOA, 2002, 270 s. ISBN 8072402986. info
  • ALEXANDER, Michael. A history of English literature. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2000, xii, 387. ISBN 0333672267. info
  • An outline of English literature. Edited by Pat Rogers. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998, xiii, 501. ISBN 0192880780. info
  • A short history of English literature. Edited by George Saintsbury. 2nd ed. New York: Routledge, 1984, viii, 484. ISBN 0203137272. info
  • OLIVERIUSOVÁ, Eva. A survey of English literature. 2., přeprac. vyd. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1977, 163 s. info
  • OLIVERIUSOVÁ, Eva. A survey of English literature. Vyd. 1. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1972, 163 s. info
  • BATESON, Frederick Wilse. A guide to English literature. Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor Books, 1965, xi, 259. info
  • DAICHES, David. A critical history of English literature. New York: Ronald Press, 1960, iii, s. info
  • BURGESS, Anthony. English literature : a survey for students. London: Longman, 1958, 278 p. ISBN 0582552249. info
  • ELTON, Oliver. A survey of English literature. 1780-1830. Vol. 1 [Elton, 1912]. London: Edward Arnold, 1912, xv, 456 p. info
Teaching methods
class work and activities, topic-based learning, issue-based learning, project work.
Assessment methods
Continuous assessment:
participate in class work; read three literary works; write short essays on assigned readings
Formative assessment: credit test and interview
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: in blocks.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 24 hodin.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2024, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/ped/spring2024/AJc206