Approaches to Literature II: Other Worlds - ENG00021C
Module summary
This module is a core foundational module, and will help 1st Year English students understand new ‘approaches’ to literary studies as they encounter a range of texts and topics. It specifically addresses the idea of ‘other worlds’ in medieval and early modern literature and culture. The medieval and early modern periods may seem ‘other’ to us on account of their distance in time, and their different worldviews, ideas, and even emotions. But at the same time, medieval and early modern writers themselves imagined ‘other worlds’: heaven and hell; monstrous borderlands and undiscovered countries; strange territories of magic and enchantment.
This module will explore both the ‘otherness’ of the medieval and early modern period, and also the ‘other worlds’ imagined in that period. In doing so, it will foreground questions about historical distance and difference, and about the methods that may be most productive or provocative in studying the literature and culture of earlier periods. The module will therefore also help to lay the foundations for the 2nd Year Intermediate Modules ‘The Shock of the New: Medieval Literature’ and ‘The Renaissance’.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2025-26 |
Module aims
The primary aim of the module is to introduce students to a range of texts and topics that will enable them to come to an understanding of medieval and early modern literature and culture.
Module learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a foundational understanding of and engagement with medieval and early modern literature, across a range of genres and forms.
2. Demonstrate a foundational understanding of and engagement with the cultural and historical contexts of medieval and early modern literature.
3. Engage with key debates and critical approaches to the period.
4. Develop arguments and ideas which demonstrate foundational critical thinking, research, and writing skills.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 30 |
| Essay/coursework | 70 |
Special assessment rules
None
Additional assessment information
Formative tasks include in-class workshopping of essay title, introduction, bibliography in week 8
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
-
You will receive feedback on all assessed work within the University deadline, and will often receive it more quickly. The purpose of feedback is to inform your future work; it is provided in a pedagogical spirit, and the Department also offers you help in learning from your feedback. If you do not understand your feedback you can discuss it with your tutor or your supervisor, during their Open Office Hours.
- For more information about the feedback you will receive for your work, see section 12 of the department's Guide to Assessment available on the Student Home Page
Indicative reading
Key texts for this module may include the following. Current students should consult the VLE site for the module.
- Beowulf,
- Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,
- Dr Faustus,
- The Tempest.