Universität Wien

123047 PS Literary Studies / Proseminar Literature (2020W)

From Blackbeard to Jack Sparrow: Famous pirates in literature and film

5.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 25 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

online course Big Blue Button
each session Monday, 18:00 to 20:00
first session October 5

  • Monday 05.10. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 12.10. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 19.10. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 09.11. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 16.11. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 23.11. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 30.11. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 07.12. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 14.12. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 11.01. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 18.01. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital
  • Monday 25.01. 18:00 - 20:00 Digital

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Pirates have continued to fascinate readers and viewers long after the ‘Golden Age of Piracy’ (c. 1650 – 1730) in the Caribbean was over. In this proseminar we will trace the development of the pirate as a literary and filmic motif from the Romantic period and its Victorian classics to Hollywood’s recent pirate blockbuster series Pirates of the Caribbean. We will analyse how and why the representations of the pirate oscillated over the centuries between glorification and condemnation, and we will see how such changes can be explained by linking texts to their cultural background. Furthermore, special attention will be paid to the representation of gender in the pirate narratives and films.
Participants will learn to analyse and discuss different genres and trace the development of a literary motif by taking into consideration developments in society and culture. Group work in breakout rooms and in-class discussions will provide students with opportunities to practice their critical skills. Furthermore, they will be equipped with the necessary tools to plan, do research for, and write an academic paper in literature.

Assessment and permitted materials

Active participation on Big Blue Button and Moodle (regular attendance of online classes, participation in group work and class discussion, completion of tasks on Moodle), preparation of assigned primary and secondary texts, expert session (i.e. group presentation), proseminar paper (3,500 words)

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

- Active participation on Big Blue Button: 10%
- completion of sessions and tasks on Moodle: 20%
- Preparation of one expert group session and handout: 10 %
- Proseminar paper (3,500 words): 60%
Points must be collected in all of these categories, and students must attain at least 60 points to pass the course. Plagiarism and cheating will result in a failing grade.
Marks:
100 – 90 = 1 (sehr gut)
89 – 80 = 2 (gut)
79-70 = 3 (befriedigend)
69-60 = 4 (genügend)
59-0 = 5 (nicht genügend)

Examination topics

Contents and literature covered throughout the semester. Participants are expected to have read and prepared the assigned texts, actively participate on BBB and on Moodle, and hand in writing tasks, including the proseminar paper, on time.

Reading list

Lord Byron: The Corsair
Robert Louis Stevenson: Treasure Island
James Matthew Barrie: Peter and Wendy
The Black Swan, directed by Henry King
Anne of the Indies, directed by Jacques Tourneur
Pirates of the Caribbean; we will focus on Part IV: On Stranger Tides, directed by Rob Marshall
Further excerpts and background material (primary and secondary literature) will be provided via Moodle.

Association in the course directory

Studium: UF 344, BA 612; BEd 046 / 407
Code/Modul: UF 3.3.3-304, BA10.1; BEd 08a.1, BEd 08b.2
Lehrinhalt: 12-3041

Last modified: Fr 12.05.2023 00:16