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for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.
| Unit name |
Literature |
| Unit code |
CLAS10038 |
| Credit points |
20 |
| Level of study |
C/4
|
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
|
| Unit director |
Dr. Cole |
| Open unit status |
Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None
|
| Co-requisites |
None
|
| School/department |
Department of Classics & Ancient History |
| Faculty |
Faculty of Arts |
Description including Unit Aims
This unit offers an introduction to studying literature from the ancient world. Students will be introduced to a range of poetic and prose genres, from archaic Greece through to first century BC Rome. They will engage with a range of literary theories to help them develop skills in thinking and writing about literary texts. We will consider, for example, how to analyse formal narrative structure, characterisation, poetic identity, intertextuality, historical and political context, and literary landscape. The course will also provide formal research skills training relevant to study at this level, and incudes a library training session with the subject librarian. As such, it helps with the transition from school to university, and gives students a broad knowledge regarding how to engage with, and construct scholarly arguments about, ancient literature.
Aims:
- To introduce students to ancient prose and poetry
- To introduce students to key theories and methodologies for analysing ancient literature
- To introduce students to the practice of learning independently
- To equip students with core academic skills, including: effectively using the library; utilising and evaluating secondary literature; correctly referencing sources and formatting a bibliography; constructing a scholarly argument.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit students will be able to demonstrate:
- confident skills in reading ancient sources;
- competence in the essential techniques for reading, thinking about, and writing about literary texts;
- knowledge and understanding of some of the major ideas and themes relevant to reading ancient literary texts;
- skills in accessing relevant and appropriate study materials from the library and other resources;
- an ability to construct coherent arguments orally and in writing and to present them in appropriate academic formats, including skills in the compilation of bibliographies, referencing and footnoting.
Teaching Information
1 x 2hr lecture and 1 x 2hr workshop
Assessment Information
20-minute presentation (40%) and 2500-word essay (60%)
Reading and References
- Andrew Bennett & Nicholas Royal. 2009 An Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory. Fourth Edition. Longman.
- Set texts: to be supplied in the unit handbook. Authors will include: Homer, Pindar, Sappho, Theocritus, Vergil, and Horace.
