Course Catalogue

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This course explores the early-modern origins of European science through a literary lens. It will focus on texts that engage with topics such as exorcisms, animal-human interactions, and geographical explorations. In this context, dream narratives in different media are of particular importance, as they provide a space for experimenting allegorically with artistic and scientific views, for instance in Cervantes's Colloquy of the Dogs and Kepler's and Maldonado's Somnium but also in modern and contemporary artistic uses of the oneiric imagination.  

1 hour weekly over Semester 1 and 2.  This is one of the Honours options in SMLC and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into one of the SMLC Honours programmes, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

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Type of Assessment

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. Where, exceptionally, reassessment on Honours courses is required to satisfy professional/accreditation requirements, only the overall course grade achieved at the first attempt will contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course aims to: 

■ introduce students to allegorical constructions of knowledge  

■ serve as an introduction to the study of the complex literary resources present in early-modern authors who engage with literature and science 

■ facilitate students´ ability to comparatively understand intellectual, cultural and historical content and contexts across related historical and cultural periods  

■ encourage public speaking skills and confidence in oral and written self-expression. 

By the end of this course students will be able to: 

■ compare early-modern European cultures when exploring the historical, political and cultural contexts of literary texts and films 

■ reflect critically about the social, political, historical and cultural contexts of different allegories of knowledge, developing a stronger awareness of the international dimension of early modern science. 

■ Make comparative analysese of allegorical fiction and early science in essays and in class discussions and presentations 

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.