Introduction to Literatures in English. A course in 28 sessions

Abstract

This introductory course to literatures in English aims to provide first-year L2 undergraduate students majoring/minoring in English with critical tools to approach the study of Prose fiction (Unit 1), Drama (Unit 2) and Poetry (Unit 3), as well as to train them in actual criticism of texts pertaining to the three. There are six two-hour sessions per Unit, and for each of them students are required to read a text or a series of short texts in advance from different literary traditions in English. Classes largely rely on group discussions for actual critical practice. The course is furthermore envisioned as an introduction to academic writing, as two essays are to be produced, as well as a means to train students for subsequent and more advanced and specialized literature courses that demand longer readings and more complex textual analyses. The course provides critical tools for the analysis of literary texts, which are discussed in sessions that heavily rely on active student participation.