EN2901 Comedy in English Literature

Academic year

2023 to 2024 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

20

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 8

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Availability restrictions

Only available to those enrolling on the MA Combined Studies or already enrolled on the MA/BSc General degree taken in the evening.

Planned timetable

Thu 6.30 - 9.00 pm

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module Staff

Team taught

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module builds on the work of EN1901 (Reading English) to give extended and deeper understanding of major literary texts, in drama, verse and prose, from the sixteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. The focus of the module is on comedy and comic forms of writing. This will include an introduction to theories of comedy and study of techniques of humorous writing. Since comedy is often used to comment on and criticise society, the relationship between writers and texts and the historical and social conditions of their times will also be a theme of the module, with particular reference to gender issues. The authors to be studied will include plays, poems and novels from Shakespeare to the present day.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS EN1901

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment

2-hour Written Examination = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

1 x 2.5-hour session: lecture and seminar, and 1 optional consultative hour.

Scheduled learning hours

25

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

175

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • By the end of the module you will have studied a range of major texts in verse and prose, and will have learned about their context in English literary history.
  • You will study one specific type of writing, ‘comedy’, and will be introduced to relevant ideas, for example genre, formal conventions, and aspects of literary tradition.
  • You will build on skills introduced in EN1901 in relating primary texts to secondary material, both critical and historical, and, through discussion group work and written essays, will develop your ability to talk and write about literary texts with fluency and technical understanding.