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EL45VA: SEX AND DEATH: EXPLORING THE FORBIDDEN IN GOTHIC FICTION (2022-2023)

Last modified: 08 Dec 2022 11:50


Course Overview

This course looks at how eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Gothic Fiction confronts themes and concepts which are considered taboo, unpleasant or strictly. Sexuality and mortality are key themes here, as well as the crossing of class, racial and gender boundaries. We explore how the Gothic can be simultaneously deeply conservative and shockingly radical, and speaks to private fears and desires whilst bringing to public light social injustices and inequalities. This course focuses mainly on the Gothic novel, but may also include poetry and short stories.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 4
Term Second Term Credit Points 30 credits (15 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Helena Ifill

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

This course looks at how Gothic Fiction, from its earliest days up to the end of the nineteenth century, confronts themes and concepts which are considered taboo, unpleasant or strictly private in the cultural context in which they are produced. Sexuality and mortality are key themes here, but other topics include the crossing of class, racial and gender boundaries. We will consider how the Gothic can be simultaneously deeply conservative and shockingly radical and can speak to private fears and desires whilst bringing to public light injustices and inequalities that society would rather remained hidden. This course focuses mainly on the Gothic novel, but may also include poetry and short stories. The course covers a variety of Gothic tales which engage with forbidden and transgressive ideas in different ways, from early writers such as Ann Radcliffe to late-Victorian vampire texts.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks 30 Feedback Weeks 33

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Written feedback

Word Count 1500
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualApplyAbility to demonstrate an understanding of how relevant themes, such as sexuality and mortality, are treated in a range of Gothic texts.
ConceptualUnderstandAbility to give critically-informed readings of Gothic texts which demonstrate an understanding of relevant theoretical and critical material.
ProceduralAnalyseAbility to analyse some of the narrative and literary techniques that authors use to address sensitive or forbidden subject matter.
ProceduralApplyAbility to situate the texts studied within the context of the literature of the period and contemporary cultural debates.
ProceduralEvaluateAbility to construct coherent, succinct and well-supported arguments, both verbal and written.
ReflectionApplyAbility to present written work in scholarly form.
ReflectionUnderstandAbility to show an awareness of how different texts conform to and/or challenge social conventions.

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 55
Assessment Weeks 36 Feedback Weeks 39

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Written feedback

Word Count 3500
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualApplyAbility to demonstrate an understanding of how relevant themes, such as sexuality and mortality, are treated in a range of Gothic texts.
ConceptualUnderstandAbility to give critically-informed readings of Gothic texts which demonstrate an understanding of relevant theoretical and critical material.
ProceduralAnalyseAbility to analyse some of the narrative and literary techniques that authors use to address sensitive or forbidden subject matter.
ProceduralApplyAbility to situate the texts studied within the context of the literature of the period and contemporary cultural debates.
ProceduralEvaluateAbility to construct coherent, succinct and well-supported arguments, both verbal and written.
ReflectionApplyAbility to present written work in scholarly form.
ReflectionUnderstandAbility to show an awareness of how different texts conform to and/or challenge social conventions.

Presentation

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 15
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Written feedback

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualApplyAbility to demonstrate an understanding of how relevant themes, such as sexuality and mortality, are treated in a range of Gothic texts.
ConceptualUnderstandAbility to give critically-informed readings of Gothic texts which demonstrate an understanding of relevant theoretical and critical material.
ProceduralEvaluateAbility to construct coherent, succinct and well-supported arguments, both verbal and written.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 100
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Written feedback

Word Count 4000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualApplyAbility to demonstrate an understanding of how relevant themes, such as sexuality and mortality, are treated in a range of Gothic texts.
ProceduralApplyAbility to situate the texts studied within the context of the literature of the period and contemporary cultural debates.
ReflectionUnderstandAbility to show an awareness of how different texts conform to and/or challenge social conventions.
ProceduralAnalyseAbility to analyse some of the narrative and literary techniques that authors use to address sensitive or forbidden subject matter.
ConceptualUnderstandAbility to give critically-informed readings of Gothic texts which demonstrate an understanding of relevant theoretical and critical material.
ReflectionApplyAbility to present written work in scholarly form.
ProceduralEvaluateAbility to construct coherent, succinct and well-supported arguments, both verbal and written.

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