Head of Comparative Literature, Dr Patricia Novillo-Corvalan shares the list of first year modules.
The Tale (CP311)
Join us for an odyssey of storytelling! This module looks at how storytelling has evolved over the last 4000 years, taking students on a literary journey from classical literature, to fairy tales and, finally, to the modern short story.
Childhood and Adolescence in Modern Fiction (CP317)
This module looks at a wide range of children’s literature, thinking particularly about constructions of childhood and adolescence in narratives from around the world.
Classical Literature (CP324)
In this module, students will have the chance to learn about the literature, history and culture of ancient civilisations. At the same time, they will reflect on the classics as the basis of the modern Western canon.
World Literature: An Introduction (CP325)
Challenging the dominance of the Western literary canon, this module considers the idea of a global vision of literature. Examining texts from around the world, students explore the various ways in which texts travel across different geographical contexts, from the afterlives of the mythic heroine Medea to filmic adaptations of Romeo and Juliet, and a modern retelling of the Crucifixion scene.
Freedom and Oppression in Modern Literature (CP305)
In this module, we will reflect on the relationship between the individual and society, we will think about the construction of the outsider, and we will examine various kinds of political oppression, from racism to the current refugee crisis.
Guilt and Redemption in Modern Literature (CP306)
This module examines literature that engages with questions of guilt, morality and redemption. Students will examine the history and legacy of slavery and genocide, the human capacity for wrongdoing, and our responsibilities as moral citizens in an increasingly complex world.
Femme Fatales in Literature and Film (CP301)
An ambiguous figure that can be found in a wide range of texts and geographical contexts, the femme fatale is a resistant archetype that defies easy categorisation. In this module, students trace the figure of the ‘femme’ through her mythical origins (Eve, Salome, Circe, Medusa, and the Sirens) to then explore her ensuing incarnations in a variety of French, British, Mexican, and American films, as well as in modern literary works.