Course Catalogue

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This course uses Ulysses to introduce students to the works of James Joyce. Placing Ulysses within its literary, political and historical contexts, the course also serves as an introduction to Irish literature and Modernism. We will explore a wide range of issues, including Joyce's development of innovative narrative techniques, depiction of sex, his engagement with literary politics in Ireland, and the broader background of Ireland's relationship to the British Empire

10 seminars and 10 lectures across ten weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.

This is one of the Honours options in English Literature and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Successful completion of Junior Honours English Literature, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

ENGLIT4010  James Joyce

Presentation 15%

Seminar Contribution 5%

Close reading exercise (1,500 words): 30%

Essay (2,500 words): 50%

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 will provide the opportunity to:

■ engage in detail with James Joyce's Modernist epic, Ulysses

■ encounter a range of other work by James Joyce, including criticism, drama and poetry

■ analyse the formal and stylistic detail of Joyce's writing

■ consider Joyce's work from a variety of critical perspectives

■ place Joyce's writings in their literary, political and historical contexts

■ examine the impact and reception of Joyce's work.

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

■ articulate a detailed knowledge of James Joyce Ulysses 

■ locate Ulysses and other writings by James Joyce in wider historical and political contexts

■ cite and explain key critical concepts relating to Joyce's work and its contexts as part of a broader argument

■ apply formal and analytical skills in writing about Ulysses and its contexts

■ communicate responses to the material studied on the course both orally and in written form through coherent and sustained argument.

■ demonstrate resilience and time management through effectively planning, undertaking and submitting coursework.

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