New Zealand Literature and Film (U03275)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : LLC-3-U03275

This course, will explore a variety of New Zealand poetry, prose and film from the early twentieth century to the present day. We will begin the course by considering a range of early twentieth century poetry, investigating the ways in which these poems reflect an attempt to adapt British forms and sensibilities to a new cultural context. Next we will discuss the fiction of Katherine Mansfield, focusing in particular on her New Zealand stories and also considering Mansfield's relationship to the modernist movement. We will then examine a range of 1930s and 1940s poetry, examining the role of key figures such as Allen Curnow in the formation of a consciously 'local' or nationalist literary tradition. Subsequently, we will focus on the autobiographical writings of Janet Frame, relating these to Jane Campion's An Angel at My Table(1990), a film adaptation of Frame's three autobiographical novels (To the Is-Land (1982); An Angel at My Table (1984); and The Envoy from Mirror City (1985)).
The next section of the course will focus on 1970s and 1980s poetry, and we will then move onto a consideration of Jane Campion's film The Piano (1993), examining the film alongside the subsequent novel version. We will then look at London-based writer Emily Perkin's debut short story collection, Not Her Real Name (1996), before moving into the concluding section of the course, where we will examine a range of poetry and prose by Maori and Pacific Islander New Zealanders, concluding with Maori writer Witi Ihimaera's novel The Whale Rider (1988) and Niki Caro's 2003 film adaptation of the novel.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : Passes in English or Scottish Literature 1 and English or Scottish or American Literature 2, with a mark of 50 or abofe at the first attempt in the second year course.

? Special Arrangements for Entry : Students require the approval of EITHER the Visiting Undergraduate Admissions Office OR the head of English Literature before enrolling.

? Costs : Essential course texts.

Variants

? This course has variants for part year visiting students, as follows

New Zealand Literature and Film (VS1) (Not being delivered)

Subject Areas

Home subject area

English Literature, (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 10 weeks

? Other Required Attendance : 1 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

It is intended that students will gain a detailed knowledge not only of New Zealand literature and film, but also of New Zealand culture. Teaching the course texts in order of (first) publication/issue will provide students with a sense of key trends and developments in New Zealand literature and film.
In order to provide a theoretical foundation for the study of course texts, we will examine some key aspects of postcolonial theory, considering the relevance of such material, and the label 'postcolonial', to a settler colony such as New Zealand. Other issues to be considered will include the relationship between Maori and Pakeha New Zealanders from the early colonial period to the present; New Zealand literary nationalism dating from the 1930s; the influence of international movements (such as women's, gay and lesbian rights movements and anti-racist movements) upon New Zealand literature and film since the 1970s; isolationism and cosmopolitanism in New Zealand literature and culture.
By the end of the course, students will be able to evaluate course texts both in terms of their place within the cultural and political history of New Zealand, and also within a wider global context.