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    Overview

    Vampires, ghosts, and haunted homes: a study of the Gothic with particular reference to Irish-Scots Gothic.

    The Gothic, with its panoply of ghosts, skeletons, vampires, revenants, and ruined castles, has held an enduring fascination for Irish and Scottish writers, a number of whom have made a significant contribution to the genre.

    This paper will examine at least two foundational Gothic novels (by Horace Walpole and Mary Shelley) before exploring a selection of Scottish and Irish texts from the early 19th century to the present, paying close attention to questions of political and national context.

    Authors studied usually include: Robert Burns, James Hogg, Sheridan Le Fanu, Bram Stoker, Robert Louis Stevenson, Oscar Wilde, and a changing selection of more recent work.

    About this paper

    Paper title Irish-Scots Gothic and the Gothic as Genre
    Subject English
    EFTS 0.15
    Points 18 points
    Teaching period Not offered in 2024 (On campus)
    Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) $981.75
    International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.
    Prerequisite
    18 200-level ENGL points
    Restriction
    ENGL 241
    Schedule C
    Arts and Music
    Notes
    Students who have not passed the normal prerequisite may be admitted with approval from the Head of Department.
    Contact

    thomas.mclean@otago.ac.nz

    Teaching staff

    Paper Coordinator: Associate Professor Thomas McLean

    Lecturers: Associate Professor Thomas McLean
    Associate Professor Grace Moore

    Paper Structure
    The paper follows a chronological structure.
    Textbooks

    • James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (Penguin)
    • Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Penguin)
    • Bram Stoker, Dracula
    • Sheridan Le Fanu, Carmilla
    • Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto
    • Matthew Lewis, The Monk
    • Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey

    Graduate Attributes Emphasised
    Global perspective, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Ethics.
    View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.
    Learning Outcomes

    By the end of the paper students should have a sound knowledge of the key generic, technical and thematic features of Gothic writing as represented by the works on the syllabus.

    They should:

    • Understand the historical trajectory of the Gothic as a genre
    • Be able to interpret works of Gothic literature in relation to their literary and historical contexts
    • Be able to articulate their views cogently both in discussion and writing

    Timetable

    Not offered in 2024

    Location
    Dunedin
    Teaching method
    This paper is taught On Campus
    Learning management system
    Blackboard
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