ENGL 3046 - Old Texts Made New: Literary Imitation & Allusion

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2016

Through the lens of early modern attitudes to translatio - the 'carrying over' of elements of extant texts - this course investigates the ways in which authors make 'old' texts active in 'new' texts. David Malouf's Ransom, Margaret Atwood's Penelopiad, Christopher Marlowe's The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage, and Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus will be studied in conjunction with 1) extracts from the classical texts on which these writers draw: Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, and Ovid's Metamorphoses, 2) selected theoretical writings and critical writings about translatio and related terms, 3) key terms in the practice of literary imitation and allusion (e.g. characterisation, genre, intertext), and 4) elements of contemporary literary theory (e.g. postcolonialism, feminism, intertextuality).

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code ENGL 3046
    Course Old Texts Made New: Literary Imitation & Allusion
    Coordinating Unit English, Creative Writing, and Film
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 3 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Prerequisites At least 6 units of level 2 undergraduate study
    Incompatible ENGL 2069
    Course Description Through the lens of early modern attitudes to translatio - the 'carrying over' of elements of extant texts - this course investigates the ways in which authors make 'old' texts active in 'new' texts. David Malouf's Ransom, Margaret Atwood's Penelopiad, Christopher Marlowe's The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage, and Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus will be studied in conjunction with 1) extracts from the classical texts on which these writers draw: Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Virgil's Aeneid, and Ovid's Metamorphoses, 2) selected theoretical writings and critical writings about translatio and related terms, 3) key terms in the practice of literary imitation and allusion (e.g. characterisation, genre, intertext), and 4) elements of contemporary literary theory (e.g. postcolonialism, feminism, intertextuality).
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Lucy Potter

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1 Read and understand extracts from classical texts and subsequent literary engagements with them
    2 Recognise and explain key terms in the practice of literary imitation, including aspects of contemporary literary theory
    3 Investigate the interdisciplinarity of literary imitation
    4 Analyse cultural difference and historical change in the comparison of literary texts
    5 Present sustained and persuasive written arguments based on research that demonstrate an understanding of the problematic nature of texts, such as the construction of literary canons and the notion of authorship
    6 Contribute to group-based activities and work as a member of a team in the preparation and delivery of a seminar presentation
    7 Generate questions and activities to enable the understanding and interrogation of literary texts and the relationship between them
    8 Use technologies relevant to the preparation and completion of assessment tasks
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1, 2, 3
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    3, 4, 5
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    5, 6
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    7, 8
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    3, 4
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    5, 6
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    Atwood, Margaret. The Penelopiad. Melbourne: Text Publishing, 2005.

    Malouf, David. Ransom. North Sydney: Knopf, 2009.

    Marlowe, Christopher. The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage. In The Complete Plays of Christopher
    Marlowe. Ed. Frank Romany and Robert Lindsey. Penguin Classics, 2004.

    Shakespeare, William. Titus Andronicus. Ed. Jonathan Bate and Eric Rasmussen. RSC edition. Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2011.

    Course reader containing relevant extracts from classical texts by Homer, Virgil, and Ovid.

    Online Learning
    TBA
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes

    Teaching and learning modes may include lectures, seminars and online activities.

    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    Students will commit the equivalent of 156 hours per semester to study in this course.
    Learning Activities Summary
    Provisional. Learning activities may include lectures, face-to-face seminars, online activities, instructor-directed and student-directed research and assessment-for-learning tasks.
    Small Group Discovery Experience

    The small group discovery experience may be developed through student-led seminar discussions, which may include both face-to-face and online settings. This course may include collaborative assessment tasks.

  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Group Seminar Presentation 20%: Learning Outcomes 1, 3, 4, 6, 7
    Critical Survey 30%: Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 8
    Research Essay 40%: Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8
    Participation 10%: Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 4
    Assessment Related Requirements

    Students must attempt all assessment requirements / all assessment items in order to pass the course. Other assessment related requirements will be able to be found in the Department of English and Creative Writing Policies and Procedures, and the relevant Course Guide.

    Assessment Detail
    Assessment details are to be announced.
    Submission
    Assessment submission is to be undertaken in the form presecribed in any instructions issued for individual assessment items. Provisionally and for example, submission formats may include: in class presentations and/or discussions; online submission of written or other work.

    Policies on deadlines and lateness are to be found in the Department of English and Creative Writing Policies and Procedures.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

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