Insegnamento ENGLISH LITERATURE I

Nome del corso di laurea Lingue, letterature comparate e traduzione interculturale
Codice insegnamento GP005181
Curriculum Comune a tutti i curricula
Docente responsabile Annalisa Volpone
Docenti
  • Annalisa Volpone
Ore
  • 54 Ore - Annalisa Volpone
CFU 9
Regolamento Coorte 2024
Erogato Erogato nel 2024/25
Erogato altro regolamento
Attività Caratterizzante
Ambito Lingue e letterature moderne
Settore L-LIN/10
Anno 1
Periodo Secondo Semestre
Tipo insegnamento Opzionale (Optional)
Tipo attività Attività formativa monodisciplinare
Lingua insegnamento INGLESE
Contenuti This course explores the evolution of the ghost story within the Modernist literary movement, focusing on works by James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, Katherine Mansfield, Elizabeth Bowen, and May Sinclair. We will examine how these authors incorporate elements of the supernatural to address themes such as memory, trauma, identity, and the boundaries of reality. Through close readings and critical analysis, students will gain an understanding of how the ghost story was adapted to reflect the complexities of early 20th-century life and thought.
Testi di riferimento Required Texts

James Joyce, Dubliners (selected stories) any edition
Virginia Woolf, Mrs Dalloway and A Haunted House and Other Short Stories any edition
Katherine Mansfield, The Garden Party and Other Stories (selected stories) any edition
Elizabeth Bowen, The Demon Lover and Other Stories (selected stories) any edition
May Sinclair, Uncanny Stories (selected stories) any edition
Additional readings will be provided via the course’s online platform.

Students with disabilities
and/or with SLD who, having completed regular accreditation through SOL, have obtained access to the University services, can request the compensatory tools provided by the law (for example, textbooks in digital format; teaching materials
in accessible formats: presentations, handouts, exercise books, provided if necessary in advance of the lessons), for which see the page
https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa
. For the request, the student is invited to contact the teacher, who will
put him in contact with the Disability and/or SLD Representative of the Department (prof. Alessandra Di Pilla:
alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it
)
Obiettivi formativi By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1 Identify key characteristics of Modernist literature and how they manifest in ghost stories.
2 Analyze the use of supernatural elements to explore psychological and existential themes.
3 Critically engage with primary texts and relevant scholarly criticism.
4 Develop coherent arguments in written and oral forms about the function of ghost stories in Modernist literature.
5 Contextualize Modernist ghost stories within broader literary and historical frameworks.
Prerequisiti Students must have a good knowledge of British Literature and Twentieth Century Literature.
Metodi didattici Teaching Methods

Lectures: Each class will begin with a lecture that provides context, background information, and an overview of key themes and concepts related to the day's readings.
Close Readings: We will engage in detailed, line-by-line analysis of selected passages to uncover deeper meanings and stylistic techniques.
Class Discussions: Students are expected to participate actively in discussions, sharing their insights and interpretations of the texts.
Group Work: Small group activities and discussions will facilitate peer learning and collaborative analysis.
Multimedia Resources: The use of films, audio recordings, and visual art to provide additional perspectives and enhance understanding of the texts.
Guest Lectures: Invited speakers will offer expert insights on specific topics related to Modernist ghost stories.
Online Discussion Boards: Supplementary discussions and activities will take place on the course’s online platform, providing opportunities for extended engagement with the material.

Students with disabilities and/or with SLD, after consultation with the lecturer, can request any teaching materials in accessible formats (presentations, handouts, exercise books), provided if necessary in advance of the lessons, as well as the use of other technological facilitation tools in the study phase. For general information, consult the University Services at the page
https://lettere.unipg.it/home/disabilita-e-dsa
and get in touch with the Department Representative (prof.ssa A. Di Pilla).
Altre informazioni Students with disabilities and/or SLD: for any information on University services, consult the page https://lettere.unipg.it/home/disabilita-e-dsa and contact the Disability and/or DSA Department Coordinator (prof. Alessandra Di Pilla: alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it)
Modalità di verifica dell'apprendimento A 2500 word essay in English to be submitted at least 10 days before the exam session, and a brief oral discussion of the themes and texts explored in the course (15 minutes max). Students with disabilities and/or with SLD who, having completed regular accreditation through SOL, have obtained access to University services, can apply for compensatory tools, dispensatory measures and inclusive technologies ensured by law, to be requested and agreed with the teacher well in advance of tests and exams. For general information, consult the page https://www.unipg.it/disabilita-e-dsa and contact the Disability and/or SLD Department Coordinator (prof. Alessandra Di Pilla: alessandra.dipilla@unipg.it).


The essay accounts for 70% of the final exam result, the oral part for the remaining 30%.
Programma esteso Introduction to Modernism and the Ghost Story

Overview of Modernist literature and its themes
Introduction to the ghost story genre
James Joyce

Dubliners: "The Dead"
Discussion on memory and the supernatural in Joyce’s work
Virginia Woolf

Mrs Dalloway (selected excerpts focusing on Septimus Warren Smith)
A Haunted House and Other Short Stories: "A Haunted House"
Virginia Woolf

Continued discussion on Woolf’s use of ghostly imagery
Analysis of narrative techniques

Katherine Mansfield

The Garden Party and Other Stories: "The Daughters of the Late Colonel", "The Woman at the Store"
Themes of psychological haunting and existential dread

Katherine Mansfield

Continued exploration of Mansfield’s ghostly themes
Group presentations on assigned stories

Elizabeth Bowen

The Demon Lover and Other Stories: "The Demon Lover", "The Happy Autumn Fields"
Discussion on war, trauma, and the spectral

Elizabeth Bowen

Continued discussion of Bowen’s work
Comparative analysis with other authors studied
May Sinclair

Uncanny Stories: "Where Their Fire Is Not Quenched", "The Intercessor"
Examination of Sinclair’s approach to the uncanny and the psychological
May Sinclair

Continued exploration of Sinclair’s stories
In-depth look at narrative structure and thematic content

Thematic and Comparative Analysis

Comparative discussion of all authors covered
Identifying common themes and divergent approaches

Critical Perspectives

Review of critical essays and secondary sources
Application of literary theories to primary texts
Course Review and Conclusion

Review key concepts and texts
Preparation for final essays and exams
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile 4 and 5
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