Nineteenth Century Prose (CT0099)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : LLC-3-CT0099

This course examines the making of the modern tradition of printed Gaelic prose, as published in books and journals in the course of the nineteenth century. The quality of nineteenth-century creativity is often seriously underestimated by critics, and the century's output of Gaelic prose, like its output of verse, is not infrequently disparaged. The course will consider (1) the emergence of the written tradition, and the development of secular writing from religious roots; (2) aspects of the relationship between oral and written narrative, especially that designed for printing; (3) the expanding range of themes and styles, and the factors (including English literary models) which shaped these; (4) the gradual spread of 'popular' styles of writing by the last quarter of the century; (5) the creation of the modern Gaelic printed book, and the contribution of particular publishers, notably Archibald Sinclair. The course will be delivered in Gaelic and/or English as appropriate to the nature of the class and the topic.

Entry Requirements

none

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Celtic, (School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, Schedule G)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 3rd year

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will have the opportunity to examine a range of nineteenth-century Gaelic prose writings, and to familiarise themselves with the challenges which had to be surmounted by writers and publishers of Gaelic prose texts. They will learn to handle orthographic variation in different texts, and they will become familiar with a wide variety of language registers.

Assessment Information

Students are required to undertake two short assignments (each amounting to c. 1500-2000 words in final form), as specified by the Lecturer. One assignment consists of a short literary essay which explores the main features of a particular specimen of text, and the other is a presentation (delivered to the class and then written up) of a more general aspect of nineteenth-century Gaelic prose (an outline of a particular writer or genre or group of texts, commenting on distinctive aspects of style or overall contribution).

The two class-work assignments are each worth 25% and the Degree Examination is worth 50% of the overall mark for the course.