Universität Wien

124221 SE Cultural and Media Studies Seminar (2019S)

Studies in British Humour

11.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Prüfungsimmanente Lehrveranstaltung
Moodle

An/Abmeldung

Hinweis: Ihr Anmeldezeitpunkt innerhalb der Frist hat keine Auswirkungen auf die Platzvergabe (kein "first come, first served").

Details

max. 18 Teilnehmer*innen
Sprache: Englisch

Lehrende

Termine (iCal) - nächster Termin ist mit N markiert

  • Mittwoch 03.04. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Mittwoch 10.04. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Mittwoch 08.05. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Mittwoch 15.05. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Mittwoch 22.05. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Mittwoch 29.05. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Mittwoch 05.06. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Mittwoch 12.06. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Mittwoch 19.06. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17
  • Mittwoch 26.06. 14:00 - 16:00 Raum 5 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-17

Information

Ziele, Inhalte und Methode der Lehrveranstaltung

The British often claim a reputation for being funny. We will put this reputation to the test. Comedy and humour studies still try to come to satisfying models of explanation of why it is that people laugh. Among often contested comic principles are irony, superiority, incongruity or automatism. We will discuss a variety of these principles and their theoretical foundations in writers as diverse as Thomas Hobbes, Henri Bergson and Hélène Cixous. We will apply them to British 'texts' in the widest sense to find out a) if they are funny and b) if so, then why. We will take a diachronic approach to British cultural production from Jane Austen to Tamsin Greig and pursue the idea of an allegedly typically British humour. Our discussions will include literary texts as well as TV and film, stand-up and late night. Examples are the BBC's Gavin and Stacey and The Office, Miranda Hart as stand-up or James Corden as late night. Students should be prepared to give a presentation on one of the set 'texts' and relate them to the theoretical considerations discussed over the course of the semester.

Art der Leistungskontrolle und erlaubte Hilfsmittel

Regular attendance and active participation in course discussions (two missed sessions max.); 30 min. oral presentation of an assigned theoretical text; research proposal (500 words); annotated bibliography (1.000 words); term paper (7.000 words); term papers are due July 31st, 2019.

Mindestanforderungen und Beurteilungsmaßstab

Active participation in class discussions: 10%
Oral Presentation: 20%
Research Proposal: 10%
Annotated Bibliography: 10%
Term Paper: 50%

To pass the course, students must attain at least 60%.

Grades in %:
1: 90 - 100%
2: 80 - 89%
3: 70 - 79%
4: 60 - 69%
5: 0 - 59%

Prüfungsstoff

There will be no written exam at the end of the course.

Literatur

Please read the following primary texts in advance (editions of your choice):
- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (1813)
- Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest (1895)
- Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary (1996)

Please read the following theoretical texts in advance:
- Henri Bergson, Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic, transl. C. Brereton and F. Rothwell. London: Macmillan, 1911.
- Andrew Stott, Comedy. The New Critical Idiom. New York: Routledge, 2005.

Zuordnung im Vorlesungsverzeichnis

Studium: UF 344, BA 612, MA 844;
Code/Modul: UF 4.2.4-322; BA 09.2; MA6, MA7
Lehrinhalt: 12-0405

Letzte Änderung: Mo 07.09.2020 15:33