EN3RRR: Romanticism: Revolt and Reaction

Module code: EN3RRR

Module provider: English Literature; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Matthew Scott, email: t.m.l.scott@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Cato Marks, email: cato.marks@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 will offer an immersion in the literature and culture of Romanticism, and we will gain a deep understanding and appreciation of the key writers of that period (1790-1830). There will be a particular emphasis on tracing the social, political and philosophical context that underpinned the most important texts of the time, beginning with responses to the French Revolution and the wars that ensued immediately; then considering such central issues as the beginnings of imperialism and the growth of science and industrialisation. We will study both major texts by the best-known authors of the period and consider other lesser known but significant figures, reading texts in a number of different genres: short lyric and long meditative or narrative poems; prose fiction; political and occasional essays; theoretical and philosophical texts. 

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key texts (literary, political & philosophical) of the Romantic period 
2. Situate these texts within their political, historical, and intellectual contexts 
3. Demonstrate a sensitivity to the role of genre 
4. Perform close literary analysis of these texts that is informed by an understanding of their contexts 
5. Engage critically with ideas presented in seminars and secondary materials. 

Module content

Authors to be studied may include William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, William Blake, Edmund Burke, Sir Walter Scott, William Hazlitt, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats, John Clare, Jane Austen, Mary Wollstonecraft, Mary Shelley, Thomas De Quincey and Lord Byron. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

There will be three hours of seminar teaching per week. During the two-hour seminar, the focus will be on the key set readings for that week. Seminar leaders may select supplementary readings for the third hour, including setting relevant secondary critical material. Seminars will be discussion based. There will be opportunities for feedback to students over the term.   

Study hours

At least 30 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 will be asked to write a short commentary on an extract from a text studied on the module (chosen by them) and to construct a bibliography of relevant materials relating to this. The aim is that these can later be ‘imported’ into work on the summative assessments.  

Students will be invited to give formative (non-assessed) presentations of around 10 minutes with 5 minutes questions.  

Reassessment

Additional costs