EN3SR: Shakespeare and Romance

Module Provider:

English

Number of credits:

20 [10 ECTS credits]

Level:

H (Honours)

Terms in which taught:

Autumn

Module Convenor:

Mr CB Hardman

Pre-requisites:

Co-requisites:

Modules excluded:

Module version for:

2006/7

Aims:
This module aims to develop students’ understanding of a more specialized element in Shakespearean drama—the romance tradition, and to enhance their awareness of wider cultural contexts for the romance elements in Shakespeare’s writing.

Assessable learning outcomes:
By the end of the module students will be expected to:
• show knowledge of the romance tradition in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries
• assess the influence of the romance tradition in Shakespeare’s plays
• demonstrate skills of close textual analysis
• analyse and appraise secondary materials in the presentation of critical argument
• research, organize and articulate coherent scholarly arguments in written work

Additional outcomes:
Transferable Skills
Each module is designed to encourage you to develop skills of oral communication and effective participation in group work. Additionally, you will be encouraged to enhance your IT competence through the use of relevant web resources and library databases, and through the word-processing of assessed coursework.

Outline content:
The module provides an opportunity to analyse the romance element in the work of Shakespeare. To establish a context, students examine extracts from romances which influenced or provided sources for Shakespeare's plays: for example, Greek Romance, medieval vernacular romance; Montemayor's Diana; Sidney's Arcadia. Contemporary translations are used where appropriate. Students then engage with a selection of plays, from the comedies through tragedy to the last plays, to investigate Shakespeare's deployment of romance materials. The plays to be studied will be selected from the following range: The Comedy of Errors, Two Gentlemen of Verona, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, King Lear, Pericles, Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale, The Tempest.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
There will be 8 meetings of two hours per week. The exact method of teaching will vary from seminar to seminar, but most modules are taught largely through two hour seminars involving group discussion. Some modules may include occasional lectures. You may be asked to give brief seminar papers or oral reports. You are entitled to half an hour of tutorial feedback on your non assessed essay.

Contact hours:

Assessment:
Coursework
You will be asked to write one non-assessed piece of coursework of 1,500 words and to submit one or two assessed pieces of coursework up to a maximum of 2,500 words.

Penalties for late submission
Ten marks (out of 100 on the normal University scale) will be deducted from a piece of work submitted up to one calendar week after the original deadline or any formally agreed extension of that deadline. Once this period has elapsed a mark of zero will be recorded.

Examinations
There will be a two-hour examination paper.

Each component will account for 50% of the mark of the module.

Requirement for a pass: an average of 40%

Reassessment arrangements
Re-examination in September. Coursework will be carried forward if it bears a confirmed mark of 40% or more. Otherwise it must be resubmitted by 1 September.