EN3LMH: Literature and Mental Health

Module code: EN3LMH

Module provider: English Literature; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr John Scholar, email: j.m.scholar@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Stephen Thomson, email: s.thomson@reading.ac.uk

Additional teaching staff 1: Dr Lucy Bending, email: l.v.bending@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): Before taking this module, you must have at least 40 credits of EN-coded modules at Part 1 (except for visiting students). (Open)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module looks at how literature engaged with mental health and mental illness in the first half of the twentieth century, a crucial turning point in psychology. Authors may include Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, E.M. Forster, Virginia Woolf and Rebecca West. In the nineteenth century people were becoming increasingly aware of the challenges to mental health posed by the new hectic experiences of city life across Europe. But such challenges were soon overwhelmed by the destruction of the First World War. In its wake two young disciplines, psychiatry and psychology, gained added credibility and resources. These disciplines helped to destigmatize mental illness, laying the foundations for how we approach mental health today. But the literature of this period also played its part in destigmatizing mental illness, in part by turning inwards to record as faithfully as possible the mind in all its complexity. We will look at literary engagement with trauma, anxiety, and obsession, among other things, but we will also look at how literature inspired readers, helping them to feel positive about their minds and bodies, and depicting seminal moments of psychic and sexual liberation. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of changes in both literary form and in the treatment of mental health in the period 1900-1939
2. Show an ability to use these debates to inform close critical analysis of selected texts
3. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of psychology and psychiatry as contexts for literary study
4. Research, organize and articulate a scholarly critical argument in writing.

Module content

This module examines a range of writers from the first half of the twentieth century, writing fiction and poetry. Authors may include Wilfred Owen, Siegfried Sassoon, E.M. Forster, Virginia Woolf and Rebecca West. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Three seminar hours weekly, for which you will do preparatory reading. Students are also invited to a half-hour tutorial on their formative written work.

Study hours

At least 33 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Students write a formative essay of 1,500 words, on which both written and oral feedback will be offered. Feedback will also be provided on the summative essay.

Reassessment

Additional costs