This course will study so-called Modernist writing, especially of the 1920s and 1930s. Its central focus is a series of modernist novels, most of which are quite short: Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse (1927), Elizabeth Bowen’s The House in Paris (1935), Nella Larsen’s Passing (1929), Nathanael West’s Miss Lonelyhearts (1933) and Jean Rhys’s Voyage in the Dark (1934). We will also examine a small selection of poetry and short stories, including European texts in translation (short stories by Franz Kafka, Leonora Carrington and Daniil Kharms), as well as modernism in other art-forms including visual arts, music, cinema, architecture and design. The aim will be to gain a sense of the breadth and diversity of modernist creative expression in its response to the rapid changes of the period that transformed everything from gender and sexuality and the politics of race and class, to the acceleration and mechanization of everyday life, to the growing influence of mass media, fashion and consumer culture.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- apply knowledge of the historical and cultural contexts of the literature of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to some major authors, works and genres;
- reflect and write analytically about the literary works and their contexts; and
- develop their own skills of literary critical analysis.
Indicative Assessment
- Weekly reading journal (10) [LO 1,2,3]
- Weekly tutorial participation (10) [LO 1,2,3]
- Short essay (1500 words) (30) [LO 1,2,3]
- Long essay (2500 words) (50) [LO 1,2,3]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from:
a) 36 hours of contact: 24 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorials.
b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading and writing.
Requisite and Incompatibility
Prescribed Texts
Elizabeth Bowen, The House in Paris (Vintage)
Nella Larsen, Passing (Penguin)
Jean Rhys, Voyage in the Dark (Penguin)
Nathanael West, Miss Lonelyhearts (Vintage)
Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse (Oxford World’s Classics)
Assumed Knowledge
Assumed knowledge: 12 units of ENGL.
It is recommended students have completed ENGL1100 and ENGL1200.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 1
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
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