Universität Wien

123425 SE Literary & Cultural Studies Seminar / BA Paper / MA American/North American Lit./Studies (2019S)

The Early American Novel

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

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. 18 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Tuesday 19.03. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A
Tuesday 26.03. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A
Tuesday 02.04. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A
Tuesday 09.04. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A
Tuesday 30.04. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A
Tuesday 07.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A
Tuesday 14.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A
Tuesday 21.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A
Tuesday 28.05. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A
Tuesday 04.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A
Tuesday 18.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A
Tuesday 25.06. 12:00 - 14:00 Seminarraum 6 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-O1-22.A

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This class explores the early American novel as a literary and cultural form, with a focus on texts written in the early national period, in particular from 1789-1815. We will put a particular focus on the sentimental, the picaresque, and the gothic novel and trace how these texts negotiated the emerging (and often contested) meanings of an “American” national self. We will explore how early American novels engaged such prevalent questions as nation building and democratic procedure, liberal notions of identity and the public sphere, Atlantic world capitalism, the politics of gender and sexuality, racial and ethnic difference, in particular concerning slavery and indigeneity, as well as regionalism and urbanization. We will also trace the relationship of the early American novel to British novels of the period, which were widely read in the United States.

As this is a seminar, much of the course content will depend on the primary texts students eventually want to work with. The first half of the course will be dedicated to general questions concerning literary and cultural theory and method, as well as questions of historical research and the archive. We will also critically read one novel together as a group (Tabitha Gilman Tenney’s Female Quixotism, 1801). The second half of the course will be devoted to students’ individual research projects.

Students should be familiar with the cultural history of the early national period before the first session. For preparation, any American cultural history will do; for an easy read, I recommend Paul S. Boyer et al., The Enduring Vision: A History of the American People (multiple editions).

Assessment and permitted materials

Regular attendance (max. 2 absences), active participation in class, project presentation, paper proposal and annotated bibliography, seminar paper

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Active class participation (10%)
Project presentation (15%)
Paper proposal and annotated bibliography (15%)
Seminar paper (60%)

You need to complete all requirements to complete the course. The overall grading scheme is (1): 100-91%, (2): 90-81%, (3): 80-71%, (4): 70-61%, (5): 60-0%

Examination topics

n/a

Reading list

You need to buy the following book (as soon as possible):

Tabitha Gilman Tenney, Female Quixotism (please get the OUP edition, edited by Jean Nienkamp and Andrea Collins)

Additional readings will be provided on Moodle. Be prepared to buy one or the other book for your seminar/BA paper. Also, be prepared to read bad reproductions of historical editions (in many cases, there are no modern editions available).

Association in the course directory

Studium: UF 344, BA 612, MA 844;
Code/Modul: UF 4.2.4-322, BA09.2, 10.2, MA5, MA6, MA7;
Lehrinhalt: 12-0406

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:33