University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 30

ECTS credits : 15

Level : SCQF level 10

Semester: 1

Availability restrictions: Available to General Degree students with the permission of the Honours Adviser

Planned timetable: To be arranged

In our current economic climate, literature seems to us the opposite of useful, practical, or productive. It hasn't always been this way. For the Romans, literature was a hugely important field of cultural activity: something that could give you pleasure, train you rigorously in the art of speaking well, give you models for ethical living. This module will study in depth how a series of Roman authors understood literature (especially poetry) and its place in society. Through close readings of some fundamental texts of Roman literary criticism, such as Horace's Ars Poetica, Ovid's Tristia book 2, Quintilian's Insitutio Oratoria 10, and Tacitus' Dialogus, we will discuss such things as how the Romans thought poetry should be written; the relationship between poetics and ethics; the origins of important concepts (still, for us) such as the literary persona, and the separation of life and art; the role of poetry in rhetorical education; and poetry as a vehicle for dissent.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): 40 credits from LT2001, LT2002, LT2003, LT2004, including one pass at 11 or better, or a pass in LT3018, or evidence of equivalent linguistic achievement.

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 2 hour seminars (11 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours: 22

Guided independent study hours: 278

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: 2-hour Written Examination = 40%, Coursework = 60%

As defined by QAA
Written examinations : 55%
Practical examinations : 0%
Coursework: 45%

Re-assessment: 3-hour Written Examination = 100%

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr T A Geue
Module teaching staff: Dr Tom Geue
Module coordinator email tag8@st-andrews.ac.uk