1360.19 - Fictional Elements in a Nonfiction Genre (BA)


Course number
1360.19
Title
Fictional Elements in a Nonfiction Genre (BA)
ECTS
10
Prerequisites
Students must have completed the required core components of the BA in Faroese or other equivalent preconditions. This course can also be taken as an individual course with other prerequisites (please refer to the academic programme in force).
Purpose
The aim of the course is to gain insight into the biographical genre and the line of demarcation between fiction and non-fiction.
Content
In addition to biographies about Faroese and Nordic authors we will read theoretical texts about the genre and about the distinction between fact and fiction and about poetic and fictional elements used in nonfictional texts.
Learning and teaching approaches
Lectures by the teacher, class discussions, presentations by the students and written assignments.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course the students are able to: • Describe and analyze the genre of biography • Depict the border between fiction and non-fiction • Explain relevant theories about the genre of biography and the features of fiction and non-fiction and how poetic and fictional elements may be used in non-fiction • Use the theoretical knowledge to analyse biographies
Assessment method
Written home assignment (3 weeks).
Examination
External
Bibliography
Biographies: Hanus Kamban: J.H.O. Djurhuus. Ein bókmentalig ævisøga I, 1994, p. 1-111, Hanus Kamban: J.H.O. Djurhuus. Ein bókmentalig ævisøga II, 1995, Hanus Kamban: J.H.O. Djurhuus. Ein bókmentalig ævisøga III, 1997, p. 1-93, 310-363 Tórður Johannesarson, Hermann Ævisøga, 2012, p. 9-128 Jens Andersen: Denne dag, et liv, 2014, p. 9-202 The theoretical texts include: Birgitte Possing: Ind i biografien, 2015, p. 89-111 Marianne Egeland: Hvem bestemmer over livet? Biografien som historisk og litterær genre, 2000, p. 17-147 Peter Widell: “Hvad er tekstfiktion?” in: Eyðun Andreassen o.o. (ritstj.) Malunarmót, 2012, p. 479-510 Peter Widell: “Sagprosatekstens fremstillingsformer og genrer: Seks teser” in: Torben Arboe og Inger Schoonderbeek Hansen (ritstj.) Jysk, Ømål, Rigsdansk mv. Studier i dansk sprog med sideblik til nordisk og tysk, 2011, p. 361-386 Hayden White: "The historical text as literary artifact" in: Tropics of Discourse: Essays in Cultural Criticism, 1985, p. 81-100 Hayden White: “The Question of Narrative in Contemporary Historical Theory” in: History & Theory, Vol. 23. No. 1, 1984, p. 1-33.
Contact
Malan Marnersdóttir