EN3N1-30 Haunted Britain
Introductory description
This module aims to help students examine the various ways in which popular and literary texts, media, and other cultural forms from the early c19th to the present engage with sub-genres and modes of Gothic and Horror to negotiate, interrogate, and track what has and continues to "Haunt" “Britain” in its imperial and post-imperial condition, as a geographical locale, ideology, cultural space and more.
Module aims
This module aims to help students examine the various ways in which popular and literary texts, media, and other cultural forms from the early c19th to the present engage with sub-genres and modes of Gothic and Horror to negotiate, interrogate, and track what has and continues to "Haunt" “Britain” in its imperial and post-imperial condition, as a geographical locale, ideology, cultural space and more.
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
Unit 1: Folk Horror
Peter Dickinson, The Weathermonger, 1968
Wr. Anthony Shaffer, dir. Robin Hardy, The Wicker Man, 1974
Doris Lessing, Memoirs of a Survivor, 1975
Lucy McKnight Hardy, Water Shall Refuse Them, 2019
Unit 2: Nuclear Gothic
H.G. Wells, The World Set Free, 1914
Leslie Mitchell, Gay Hunter, 1935
John Wyndham, The Chrysalids, 1955
Wr. Troy Kennedy Martin, dir. Martin Campbell, Edge of Darkness, 1985
Alex Lockwood, The Chernobyl Privileges, 2019
Unit 3: The Children are the Future
Andrew Hurley, The Loney (2014)
Susan Cooper, The Dark is Rising (1984)
Jonathan Stroud, The Screaming Staircase (2013)
Jamilla Gavin Coram Boy (2000) or Helen Oyeyemi Icarus Girl (2006)
Ian McEwan The Child in Time (1987)
Unit 4: Historicising Horrors
A.S. Byatt, The Children’s Book (2009)
Daphne DuMaurier, Jamaica Inn (1936)
Hilary Mantel Beyond Black (2005) or Michelle Paver, Wakenhyrst (2019)
Alan Moore, From Hell [1989-1998]
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Acquire and demonstrate knowledge of key theoretical and literary concepts and cultural and critical contexts within which to situate the set texts
- Formulate nuanced analytical and advanced critical skills through close reading/viewing of the set texts
- Employ effectively a main method for reading texts within the nuanced context of various literary and cultural moments and generic categories
- Demonstrate and apply advanced independent research skills
- Demonstrate advanced ability to apply appropriate theoretical frameworks to analysis of the text
- Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the forging and interrogation of national identities through "haunting" motifs
Indicative reading list
Reading lists can be found in Talis
Research element
independent research and choices of texts for assessment.
Subject specific skills
Employ a few key methods / frameworks for reading texts within the context of contemporary Britain and what haunts it.
Demonstrate a broad and advanced knowledge of selected texts and concepts relating to the haunting of Britain.
Transferable skills
Acquire and apply knowledge of key theoretical and literary concepts and cultural and critical contexts within which to situate the set texts
Formulate advanced analytical and critical skills through close reading/viewing of the set texts
Adjust to scholarly standards and protocols of presentation
Indicate a strong understanding of critical, analytic, and creative approaches to produce knowledge
Exhibit an effective command of written English together with a wide-ranging and accurate vocabulary
Display textual analysis and critical argument
Conduct independent research through self-formulated questions
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Seminars | 18 sessions of 1 hour 30 minutes (9%) |
| Tutorials | (0%) |
| Private study | 273 hours (91%) |
| Total | 300 hours |
Private study description
research and assessment
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A1
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| First Essay | 50% | Yes (extension) | |
|
First essay based on units 1 and 2 |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Second Essay | 50% | Yes (extension) | |
|
Second essay based on units 3 and 4 |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
In office hours and by written feedback
Pre-requisites
Not applicable.
Courses
This module is Optional for:
- Year 3 of UCXA-QQ37 Undergraduate Classics and English
- Year 4 of UCXA-QQ38 Undergraduate Classics and English (with Intercalated Year)
- Year 3 of UENA-QQ00 Undergraduate English & Cultural Studies
- Year 3 of UENA-Q300 Undergraduate English Literature
- Year 3 of UENA-QP36 Undergraduate English Literature and Creative Writing
- Year 4 of UENA-QP37 Undergraduate English Literature and Creative Writing with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of UENA-Q301 Undergraduate English Literature with Intercalated Year
- Year 3 of UCXA-QQ39 Undergraduate English and Classical Civilisation
- Year 4 of UCXA-QQ3A Undergraduate English and Classical Civilisation (with Intercalated Year)
- Year 4 of UFRA-QR3A Undergraduate English and French
- Year 4 of ULNA-QR37 Undergraduate English and German
- Year 4 of UHPA-QR34 Undergraduate English and Hispanic Studies
- Year 3 of UENA-VQ32 Undergraduate English and History
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UENA-VQ33 Undergraduate English and History (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of VQ33 English and History (with Intercalated year)
- Year 4 of VQ33 English and History (with Intercalated year)
- Year 3 of UENA-VQ34 Undergraduate English and History (with a term in Venice)
- Year 4 of ULNA-QR38 Undergraduate English and Italian
- Year 3 of UTHA-QW34 Undergraduate English and Theatre Studies
- Year 4 of UENA-QW35 Undergraduate English and Theatre Studies with Intercalated Year
- Year 3 of UFIA-QW25 Undergraduate Film and Literature
- Year 4 of UFIA-QW26 Undergraduate Film and Literature (with Study Abroad)
-
UVCA-LA99 Undergraduate Liberal Arts
- Year 3 of LA99 Liberal Arts
- Year 3 of LA92 Liberal Arts with Classics
- Year 3 of LA73 Liberal Arts with Design Studies
- Year 3 of LA83 Liberal Arts with Economics
- Year 3 of LA82 Liberal Arts with Education
- Year 3 of LA95 Liberal Arts with English
- Year 3 of LA81 Liberal Arts with Film and Television Studies
- Year 3 of LA80 Liberal Arts with Global Sustainable Development
- Year 3 of LA93 Liberal Arts with Global Sustainable Development
- Year 3 of LA97 Liberal Arts with History
- Year 3 of LA71 Liberal Arts with Law
- Year 3 of LA91 Liberal Arts with Life Sciences
- Year 3 of LA75 Liberal Arts with Modern Languages and Cultures
- Year 3 of LA96 Liberal Arts with Philosophy
- Year 3 of LA94 Liberal Arts with Theatre and Performance Studies
-
UVCA-LA98 Undergraduate Liberal Arts with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA85 Liberal Arts with Classics with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA72 Liberal Arts with Design Studies with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA79 Liberal Arts with Economics with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA78 Liberal Arts with Education with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA88 Liberal Arts with English with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA77 Liberal Arts with Film and Television Studies with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA76 Liberal Arts with Global Sustainable Development with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA86 Liberal Arts with Global Sustainable Development with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA90 Liberal Arts with History with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA98 Liberal Arts with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA84 Liberal Arts with Life Sciences with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA74 Liberal Arts with Modern Lanaguages and Cultures with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA89 Liberal Arts with Philosophy with Intercalated Year
- Year 4 of LA87 Liberal Arts with Theatre and Performance Studies with Intercalated Year
- Year 3 of UPHA-VQ72 Undergraduate Philosophy and Literature
- Year 4 of UPHA-VQ73 Undergraduate Philosophy and Literature with Intercalated Year
- Year 3 of UPHA-VQ52 Undergraduate Philosophy, Literature and Classics
- Year 4 of UPHA-VQ53 Undergraduate Philosophy, Literature and Classics (with Work Placement)
- Available to all finalist students on non-English Literature degree programmes – subject to availability and must have A level English Literature or equivalent qualification.