The course is based on the conviction that the skill of close reading is central to the pursuit and enjoyment of literary study. It will introduce you to techniques of close reading and contextual analysis, providing a stepping stone for further study and lifelong exploration of literature.
What will I be studying?
The course is taught through a mixture of informal lectures and seminars, practical sessions and discussion.
Unit 1: Close reading and context
(4 Saturday day-schools - 5 October, 19 October, 23 November and 7 December 2019)
This unit explores approaches to understanding poetry, drama and fiction, employing both close reading and contextualisation as methods of interpretation. We will read a range of literature together, and enjoy lively discussion alongside lectures and teaching exercises designed to introduce you to critical vocabulary and analysis. The questions asked in every session will be "How does the relation between literary form, context and meaning shape our understanding and evaluation of any literary text?"
Unit 2: American Literature: Movements and Motifs
(4 Saturday day-schools - 18 January, 1 February, 29 February and 14 March 2020)
This course will offer an introduction to American literature and a taste of some of its most beloved and exciting texts, from novels, plays and poems to memoirs and essays. We will look at texts from the nineteenth century to the present, covering a wide range of writers, from Emily Dickinson and Herman Melville through Jack Kerouac to Toni Morrison and George Saunders. We will examine how our chosen texts address questions fundamental to the American psyche, including issues of wilderness, faith, race, cultural politics, individualism, consumerism, work, wealth, and, of course, the American dream. Throughout the course, students will be encouraged to draw links between the texts we are reading, their wider interests in the writing of the USA, historical events, and a range of theoretical, political and philosophical issues.
Unit 3: Shakespeare in his time and ours
(4 Saturday day-schools - 25 April, 2 May, 23 May and 30 June 2020)
This unit will contrast Shakespeare’s drama seen in the context of his own time, and that of ours in the 21st century. We will explore a range of Shakespeare’s works covering history, comedy, tragedy and romance, and examine the major themes that emerge from these genres. On our journey we will be able to compare Shakespeare in the theatre and on the screen.
What can I go on to do?
If you wish, you can develop your studies in this subject by progressing to a second Undergraduate Certificate in English Literature or the Undergraduate Diploma in English Literature.
Credit awarded by the Institute may also be transferred into the degree programmes of other higher education providers. However the volume of credit and the curriculum which can be transferred into degree programmes varies from institution to institution and is always at the discretion of the receiving institution.
Find out more
If you would like an informal discussion on academic matters before making your application, please contact the Course Director, Dr Jenny Bavidge: jrb203@cam.ac.uk
If you have any questions about the application process, contact our Admissions team: ice.admissions@ice.cam.ac.uk or +44 (0)1223 746262.
For all other enquiries, contact the Academic Programme Manager, Katherine Roddwell: ug-awards@ice.cam.ac.uk or +44 (0)1223 746223 / 746212.
