English Satire 3301-LB1002
A survey of satiric texts (poems, plays, short novels) that include elements of humour, parody, caricature and ironic social or political criticism. Students discuss English literary works from the eighteenth century to the present. Major satiric works of English literature are discussed and analyzed in class (including works by Jonathan Swift, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, George Orwell, Monty Python and others). Satire is a mocking or ironic presentation of a person, phenomenon, social or political issue. Students will learn about the aims and techniques of satire and its role in English literature. Literary works will be discussed in their social and historical contexts. Formal elements and techniques used in humorous and satiric writing will be classified and discussed.
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge:
- knows the terminology applied in literary studies and cultural studies, in particular within the Anglophone context;
- has deeper understanding and awareness of the role of symbols in interpreting the texts of culture and cultural practices;
- becomes familiar with the major trends in contemporary literary and cultural studies and their impact on English studies;
Skills:
- is able to present the acquired knowledge in a clear and well-organized manner, both in speaking and writing;
- knows how to interpret, analyze, evaluate and synthesize the content and problems in their cultural, social, historical and economic dimensions;
- can appreciate the diversity of opinions included in the studied texts and materials as well as see the plurality of opinions in terms of opportunity and inspiration, not as a threat to his or her worldview;
Social Competence:
- becomes aware of the importance of his or her knowledge in social and cultural context;
- recognizes the nature of problems, issues and conflicts and strives to find for them the most beneficial solutions;
- wants and attempts to express his or her views in a coherent and clear way to ensure understanding and cooperation with other persons.
Assessment criteria
Final grade:
- attendance and preparation for the classes
- active participation in the classes
- short essay
- final speaking test: conversation about the selected text.
Bibliography
Selected critical sources:
Highet, Gilbert. The Anatomy of Satire. 1972. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Thackeray, William Makepeace. The English Humorists. The Four Georges. 1942. Ed. Walter Jerrold. London: J. M. Dent & Sons.
Dentith, Simon. Parody (The New Critical Idiom). 2000. London and New York: Routledge.
Bakhtin, Mikhail Mikhaĭlovich. Rabelais and His World. 1984. Trans. Hélène Isvolsky. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: