30649 - English Literature 2 (2nd cycle)

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Docente: Gino Scatasta
  • Credits: 9
  • SSD: L-LIN/10
  • Language: English
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Modern, Post-Colonial and Comparative Literatures (cod. 0981)

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

Wilde in the Nineties

For decades, Wilde was considered a superficial creator of witty quips or little more. Then Jorge Luis Borges wrote that in what Oscar Wilde said he was almost always right. Since then, Wilde has increasingly returned to the centre of critical attention, while readers had never forgotten him.

The course aims to examine the various masks of the author, in the various fields in which he worked (poetry, theatre, novel, non-fiction, etc.) and to see whether recent critical approaches obscure or illuminate his figure. The 1890s, caught between a dying Victorianism and a still uncertain Modernism,  are the stage on which Wilde moves and acts, summarising the contradictions of his era.

But above all, every new reader who approaches and becomes fascinated by Wilde pays homage to the beauty and intelligence of his writings, but it is also a slap in the face to the moralism that imprisoned him and a revolt against a power that cannot stand diversity and irony.

Readings/Bibliography

The first three introductory critical texts (Gagnier, Gerber and Murray) must be read by all the students. Students will also choose TWO of the following areas with the indicated readings.

R, Gagnier, “Wilde and the Victorians”, in P. Raby, ed. by, The Cambridge Companion to Oscar Wilde, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1997, pp. 18-33

I. Murray, "Introduction", in O. Wilde, The Major Works, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2000, pp. vii-xix

H. Gerber, "The Nineties: Beginning, End, or Transition?" in R. Ellmann, Edwardians and Late Victorians, New York, Columbia University Press, 1960, pp. 50-79

 

1) Narrative

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Critical texts in Virtuale

 

2) Criticism

The Critic as Artist

The Decay of Lying

W. Pater, “Preface” “Conclusion”, in The Renaissance

L. Danson, “Wilde as critic and theorist”, in P. Raby, ed. by, The Cambridge Companion to Oscar Wilde, pp. 80-95.

R. Livesey, “Aestheticism”, in K. Powell and P. Raby, ed. by, Oscar Wilde in Context, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2013, pp. 261-269.

J.P. Riquelme, “Between two worlds and beyond them: John Ruskin and Walter Pater”, in K. Powell and P. Raby, ed. by, Oscar Wilde in Context, pp. 125-136.

 

3) Plays

The Importance of Being Earnest

Salome 

J. Donohue, “Distance, death and desire in Salome”, in P. Raby, ed. by, The Cambridge Companion to Oscar Wilde, pp. 118-142.

J. Donohue, “Reception and performance history of The Importance of Being Earnest”, in K. Powell and P. Raby, ed. by, Oscar Wilde in Context, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2013, pp. 307-318.

R. Jackson, “The Importance of Being Earnest”, in P. Raby, ed. by, The Cambridge Companion to Oscar Wilde, pp. 161-177.

S. Price, “A short history of Salome”, in K. Powell and P. Raby, ed. by, Oscar Wilde in Context, pp. 328-336.

 

4) Politics and Sexual Politics

The Soul of Man Under Socialism

The Portrait of Mr W.H. 

J. Bristow, “‘A complex multiform creature’ – Wilde’s sexual identities”, in P. Raby, ed. by, The Cambridge Companion to Oscar Wilde, pp. 195-218.

B. Caine, “Feminism”, in K. Powell and P. Raby, ed. by, Oscar Wilde in Context, pp. 289-296.

J.M. Guy, “Oscar Wilde and socialism”, in K. Powell and P. Raby, ed. by, Oscar Wilde in Context, pp. 242-252.

I. Small, “Wilde’s texts, contexts and ‘The Portrait of Mr W. H.’”, in K. Powell and P. Raby, ed. by, Oscar Wilde in Context, pp. 374-383.

M.D. Stetz, “Oscar Wilde and the New Woman” in K. Powell and P. Raby, ed. by, Oscar Wilde in Context, pp. 230-241.

 

5) Fairy tales and short stories

The Happy Prince

The Selfish Giant

 

Jarlath Killeen, “Wilde, the fairy tales and the oral tradition” in K. Powell and P. Raby, ed. by, Oscar Wilde in Context, pp. 186-194.

 

6) Poetry

The Ballad of Reading Gaol

The Harlot's House in https://victorianweb.org/authors/wilde/harlot.html

A Symphony in Yellow in https://victorianweb.org/authors/wilde/symphony.html

The Sphinx in https://victorianweb.org/authors/wilde/sphinx.html

K. Beckson and B. Fong, “Wilde as poet”, in P. Raby, ed. by, The Cambridge Companion to Oscar Wilde, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1997, pp. 57-68.

J. Bristow, "Introduction", in J. Bristow, ed. by, Fin-de-Siècle Poem: English Literary Culture and the 1890's, città, Ohio University Press, 2005, pp. 1-46.

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.

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

Office hours

See the website of Gino Scatasta

SDGs

Gender equality Sustainable cities

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.