SE2497: Renaissance Poetry, Prose and Drama: The Principal Genres, Issues and Authors
| School | English Literature |
| Department Code | ENCAP |
| Module Code | SE2497 |
| External Subject Code | 100319 |
| Number of Credits | 20 |
| Level | L6 |
| Language of Delivery | English |
| Module Leader | Professor Ceri Sullivan |
| Semester | Autumn Semester |
| Academic Year | 2020/1 |
Outline Description of Module
The Renaissance sees literature not as some fiddly ornament, but as fundamental to civil society: it moves readers to want to do well, then teaches them what is best to do, and always delights them, so they desire to be moved and taught. This module explores the leading genres and authors from 1580–1640, finding out how literary texts try to change their society. Students will analyse the aims and formal features of the sonnet, the masque, the city pageant, the romance, the religious lyric, the epigram (both panegyric and satirical), prose (Senecan and Ciceronian), and the three main genres of plays (history, tragedy, and comedy).
On completion of the module a student should be able to
- Analyse works by a range of canonical authors
- Think about the affordances of the principal genres of the period
- Engage critically with scholarly discussions of the aesthetics of the period
How the module will be delivered
The module will be taught through a blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning classes and activities, designed to fulfil the learning outcomes. These will be delivered remotely, and on-campus if the University deems it safe and practicable.
Skills that will be practised and developed
- reading closely and critically
- analysing texts and discourses, and responding to the affective power of language, using appropriate approaches and terminology
- developing independent and imaginative interpretations of literary, critical, linguistic or creative material
- articulating a critical understanding of complex texts and ideas (and of their historical relations where appropriate)
- writing clearly, accurately and effectively
- applying scholarly bibliographic skills appropriate to the subject.
Employers are actively seeking graduates who can assess complex texts rapidly, independently, and precisely, then present their findings clearly and concisely.
How the module will be assessed
A blend of coursework and portfolio assessments.
Assessment Breakdown
| Type | % | Title | Duration(hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Written Assessment | 100 | Essay | N/A |
Syllabus content
Weeks
1 Lecture – introduction to module; the history play
2 Lecture - the masque and the city pageant
3 Lecture – prose (Ciceronian and Senecan)
4 Lecture – the religious lyric (1)
5 Lecture – the religious lyric (2)
6 Lecture – the romance.
7 Lecture – the comedy play
8 Lecture - the sonnet sequence
9 Lecture – the epigram (satirical and panegyric)
10 Lecture – the tragedy play
Essential Reading and Resource List
Course readings will be made available on learning central.
Background Reading and Resource List
Key concepts can be sampled in the following guides:
Hadfield, A., The English Renaissance, 1500-1620 (Oxford: Blackwell, 2001)
Hamilton, D., ed., A Concise Companion to English Renaissance Literature (Oxford: Blackwell, 2006)
Hebron, M., Key concepts in Renaissance Literature (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008)
Keenan, S., Renaissance Literature (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2008)
Kinney, A.F., Cambridge Companion to English Literature, 1500-1600 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000)
Loewenstein, D., and Janel Mueller, eds., The Cambridge History of Early Modern English Literature (Cambridge; New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002)