1122.04 - Literary History I


Course number
1122.04
Title
Literary History I
ECTS
10
Purpose
The purpose of the course is for the student to acquire knowledge of Nordic and Faroese literature in a historical perspective, aquire skills to describe and analyse literature as a historical phenomenon, and acquire ability to deal with literary history as a subject of research and teaching.
Content
The First Literary History course will acquaint students with the literature that took shape in Scandinavia from the Middles Ages until the latter part of the nineteenth century. The curriculum contains Nordic literature, fiction as well as non-fiction. Investigations of literary history including dissertations and academic articles covering the period will be examined. Also papers dealing with the social status of literature will be studied in order to gain insight into the changing face of the literary establishment from an historical perspective. The course study may be arranged according to chronology, periods, or according to historical "knots"; it can be arranged according to aesthetic, ideological, sociological or political and economical conditions as well as according to themes or genres. Examination For the examination the student is required to describe the fictional and non-fictional texts in the examination requirements with regard to genre history, to place and describe the texts as deriving from the cultural and historical circonstances in their originating period, and to account for various interpretations of the texts and point out how literary-historical judgement is coloured by the currents in scholarship and culture of its period. The student submits for the examination: A: Fiction and non fiction, and B: Literary-historical texts. A: FICTION AND NON FICTION: 4 fictional works and 15 short texts, 3 of the latter being non-fictional,or 3 fictional works, 1 non-fictional work and 15 short texts. The fictional works and short texts should be suitably varied with regard to dates of origin and genre. At least one fictional work must be Faroese. Danish, Icelandic, Norwegian, (in Nynorsk and Bokmål) and Swedish literature should be represented with at least two fictional works and 5 short texts. B: LITERARY-HISTORICAL TEXTS: 3 literary-historical works, that may be composed of papers, which both summarize and treat in depth Nordic literature of the period, including papers treating history of literature as a genre.
Learning and teaching approaches
2 lectures a week over 2 terms.
Assessment method
The student can choose to 1. take an oral exam with half an hour preparation time. The student may bring the set works and notes with him/her when preparing. 2. write a paper at home on an issue chosen by the student. External examiners.
Contact
Turið Sigurðardóttir