SFE21417 The Gothic, American Style (Autumn 2024)

The course is connected to the following study programs

Mandatory course in the English Extension Programme.

One of two mandatory courses in the Bachelor's Programme in Languages, English specialization. 

Lecture Semester

English Extension Programme: 1st semester (autumn)

Bachelor's Programme in Languages, English specialization: 5th semester (autumn)

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge

The student has knowledge of

• the historical, cultural and literary context of the American Gothic style
• the connections between historic and current trends in the American Gothic style
• how the Gothic style critiques the contemporary social and political environment and can predict future development

Skills

The student is capable of

• recognising and interpreting the Gothic style
• explaining how the Gothic style permeates Americans' world view
• analysing the Gothic style through art, culture, film and other media

General competence

The student can

• distinguish between Gothic style and horror
• describe the American Gothic literary heritage
• assess and criticise this literary heritage

Content

The course explores different definitions of 'Gothic' by reading a variety of American literary texts (mainly novels and short works of fiction, but also poetry, film and other media). The course is supplemented by texts that critique the Gothic style, and these are used in the students' criticism of and approach to the various artistic texts. The course begins with an overview of approaches to Gothic literature and describes its stereotypical qualities and elements. Gothic texts are then explored within the framework of thematic, and partly overlapping, categories such as: the uncanny, the sublime, Gothic spaces, the monstrous, and gender and sexuality. The course material has been selected from American literature from the 1900s to the 2000s. Emphasis is placed on how American authors have used and adapted different Gothic stylistic devices to portray key elements of the American experience. The frontier/wilderness, sex/sexuality, slavery/racial delineation and the family are some of the socio-cultural issues that are explored. Students will also look closer at psychological factors such as the presentation of the Self and the Other (at times the Self as the Other), the paranormal and subjective experience.

Forms of teaching and learning

The learning methods include lectures, seminars, group work, and online guidance sessions. Students are expected to come well-prepared for all teaching sessions and actively participate in discussions.

Attendance at the lectures is not mandatory, but regularly following them and actively participating is highly beneficial.

Each student is required to keep their webcamera and microphone turned on when participating in online classes.

Workload

Approx. 280 hours.

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

The student must give an oral presentation based on self-selected text(s) from the course. In the presentation, the student must use analytical tools and theory acquired through the course to illuminate aspects of the text(s). The presentation must be designed multimodally, according to specified criteria. A short explanation of the project and a written list of sources must be given, according to specified criteria.

Required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam.

Examination

Individual written home exam, 5 hours.

All aids permitted, except communication and collaboration between candidates.

Grading scale: A-F

Examiners

External and internal examiner or two internal examiners.

Course evaluation

Feedback from our students is vital in order for us to be able to offer the best possible courses and study programmes. The following forms of evaluation are used for this course:

• mid-term evaluation
• continuous/final evaluation

The results are considered by:

• lecturer groups
• the head of studies
• the local programme committee

Literature

The current reading list for 2024 Autumn can be found in Leganto