Poor Things: Capitalism, Reification and 20th Century Literature (U02725)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : LLC-4-EL0087

The course begins in the modernist area familiar from second year, tracing patterns of reification and personification as they appear in literary fiction - and extend later in the twentieth century into cyberpunk, science fiction, and perhaps some film - relating these to the nature and presentation of character and the self. These issues will be considered against a background of developing capitalist industry and technology, with some Marxist theory used where appropriate, especially in the first weeks of the course, to illumine the questions involved.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : Passes in English or Scottish Literature 1 and English or Scottish or American Literature 2, with a mark of 50 or above at the first attempt int he second year course. Passes in third year courses in the subject area amounting to at least 40 credits.

? Special Arrangements for Entry : Numbers are limited and students taking degrees not involving English or Scottish literature need the written approval of the head of English Literature

? Costs : Essential course texts.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

English Literature, (School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, Schedule G)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

? Other Required Attendance : 1 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Thursday	10:00	12:00	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Students should gain knowledge or arrange of twentieth-century fictions, and of their significance - as reflections, symptoms, analyses, etc - of a range of key social and political pressures. They should gain knowledge of Marxist readings of these pressures, and of their literary transmutations, along with an ability to read literature within historical contexts, and as a revelation of their nature.