30649 - English Literature 2 (2nd cycle)

Learning outcomes

Students will have a deep knowledge of Modern British Literature, in particular as far as the relationship between literary texts and their historical, linguistic and artistic context is concerned. They will know the critical methodologies to read and analyze literary texts and be able to use them. He will be able to elaborate complex analyses and formulate independent reflections on specific research topics.

Course contents

British Humour

 

It is difficult to construct a theory of humour and attempts have been made to do so from different perspectives. In any case, humour and humoristic works have always been considered somewhat inferior to so-called "serious" works, which deal with the great themes of human existence. Humour, on the other hand, is a low practice, one that elicits a smile or a laugh, easy to misunderstand, sometimes improper, sometimes quite racist, at other times subversive and openly opposed to power. It is no coincidence that “a laugh will bury you” was a popular slogan in the 1970s.


British humour is even more difficult to grasp, so much so that it has been defined as a kind of humour that does not make people laugh. The course aims to examine whether this is really the case and to reflect on our reading practices, our expectations and the way we construct the values by which we judge literary works.

Readings/Bibliography

Students are asked to choose four of the works indicated below:

 

E. Lear, A Book of Nonsense (1846)

L. Carroll, Alice in Wonderland (1865)

O. Wilde, The importance of Being Earnest (1895)

M. Beerbohm, Enoch Soames (1916)

E. Waugh, Vile Bodies (1930)

P.G. Wodehouse, Right Ho, Jeeves (1922) or any other book of the Jeeves saga

K. Amis, Lucky Jim (1954)

D. Lodge, Changing Places (1975)

D. Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (1979)

J. Fforde, The Eyre Affair (2001)

 

On humour in general, the students must read ONE of the following tests:

T. Eagleton, Humour, New Haven, Yale U.P., 2019

S. Critchley, On humour, Oxford, Taylor & Francis Group, 2002

N. Carroll, Lo humour, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2020

 

Teaching methods

Lectures.

Assessment methods

The examination consists of an oral interview. The oral interview aims to assess the critical and methodological skills acquired by the student, who will be invited to compare the texts addressed during the course. Particularly assessed will be the student's ability to move within the sources and bibliographical material in order to be able to identify useful information that will allow him to illustrate the cultural aspects and areas of the discipline. The student's attainment of an organic vision of the themes addressed in the lessons together with their critical use, the demonstration of a mastery of expression and specific language will be assessed with marks of excellence. The mostly mechanical and/or mnemonic knowledge of the subject, unarticulated synthesis and analysis skills and/or correct but not always appropriate language will lead to fair grades; formative gaps and/or inappropriate language - albeit in a context of minimal knowledge of the examination material - will lead to grades that do not exceed sufficiency. Inadequate training, inappropriate language, lack of orientation in the bibliographic materials offered during the course will lead to negative marks.

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Erasmus or Overseas students: you could sit the exam as the Italian students or write an essay (about 10-15 pages), whose topic must be approved by the teacher.

Teaching tools

Power point.

Office hours

See the website of Gino Scatasta