AJ04003 Introduction to Literary Studies II

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2019
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 1 credit(s) (plus 1 credit for an exam). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jan Čapek, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Petra Fišerová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Martina Horáková, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Denisa Krásná, BA (Hons), Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Daniela Šmardová (lecturer)
Mgr. Tereza Šmilauerová (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Jana Chamonikolasová, Ph.D.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable of Seminar Groups
AJ04003/01: each odd Monday 12:00–13:40 J21, T. Šmilauerová
AJ04003/02: each odd Wednesday 18:00–19:40 G31; and Wed 15. 5. 18:00–19:40 G31, J. Čapek
AJ04003/03: each odd Wednesday 18:00–19:40 G32; and Wed 15. 5. 18:00–19:40 G32, P. Fišerová
AJ04003/04: each odd Monday 14:00–15:40 K33, D. Krásná
AJ04003/05: each odd Wednesday 18:00–19:40 K12 nerezervovat; and Wed 15. 5. 18:00–19:40 K12 nerezervovat, D. Šmardová
Prerequisites (in Czech)
AJ04001 Intro. to Literary Studies I && NOW( AJ04002 Literary Studies II Lecture )
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 series of seminars complements the lectures series Introduction to literature II. It provides a space for students to reflect on the lecture topics, to gain a deeper understanding of how literature works, to learn to critically analyze literary texts, and also to write about them in an academic fashion.
Course objectives:
1. To learn the methods of conducting library research and working with primary and secondary sources.
2. To acquire the techniques needed for literary analysis and writing academic essays.
3. To refine critical thinking about literature and achieve a deeper understanding of how literature affects us and how it enriches our perception of the world.
Syllabus
  • 1. Modern Irish Drama: Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest; Chapter 2 “Oscar Wilde–The Artist As Irishman” from Inventing Ireland by Declan Kiberd, pp. 33-50. Response paper 1 (upload to ELF before the class begins; late submissions will lose 2 points)
  • 2. The Bloomsbury Group: virginia Woolf, Mrs. Dalloway; Chapter 1 “Civilization and ‘My Civilisation’: Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Avant-Garde” from Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Avant-Garde by Christine Froula, pp.1-34. Response paper 2
  • 3. American Modernism: T.S. Eliot, Wateland. Response paper 3
  • 4. Post-war Drama: Harold Pinter, The Birthday Party; Martin Esslin, “The Significance of the Absurd”, The Theatre of the Absurd, Garden City, N.Y.: Anchor Books, 1961, pp. 399-429. Response paper 4
  • 5. Literary Postmodernisms: Joseph Heller, Catch-22; John Barth, “The Literature of Replenishment”. Response paper 5
  • 6. Postcolonial Literatures in English: Salman Rushdie, Midnight's Children. Response paper 6.
Literature
  • WILDE, Oscar. The importance of being earnest. [S.l.: s.n., 276 s. info
  • Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury avant-gardewar, civilization, modernity. Edited by Christine Froula. New York: Columbia University Press, 2005, xvii, 428. ISBN 0231134444. info
  • KIBERD, Declan. Inventing Ireland : the literature of the modern nation. London: Vintage, 1996, xvi, 719. ISBN 009958221X. info
  • WOOLF, Virginia. Mrs. Dalloway. Edited by Elaine Showalter - Stella McNichol. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1992, liv, 231 s. ISBN 0-14-018569-0. info
  • ESSLIN, Martin. The theatre of the absurd. 3rd ed. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, 1980, 480 s. ISBN 0-14-013728-9. info
  • PINTER, Harold. The birthday party ; and, The room : two plays. Rev. ed. New York: Grove Press, 1968, 116 s. info
  • HELLER, Joseph. Catch-22. New York: Dell Publishing, 1962, 463 s. info
Teaching methods
The seminars consist of group and class discussions of the given texts. Students write response papers, participate in discussions, learn the skills of academic writing.
Assessment methods
Students must prepare for all classes, especially for the seminars. The assigned texts must be read before the class so that students can engage actively in discussions and other continuous assessment. Written assignments must be submitted in the correct format and on time. 1 credit (zápočet) is given at the end of the lecture series, 2 credits for the exam at the end of the seminar series. Final mark: class performance 20%; response papers 30%; final research paper 50%. Points out of 100; 60% pass/fail line. Evaluation scale: A 100-85; B 84-80; C-79-75; D-74-70; E 69-60; F (fail) 59-0.
Language of instruction
English
Follow-Up Courses
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2000, Spring 2001, Spring 2002, Spring 2003, Spring 2004, Spring 2005, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Autumn 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2019, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2019/AJ04003