Undergraduate Course: Nineteenth-Century Gaelic Literature (CELT10062)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Taught in Gaelic? | Yes |
| Summary | This course focuses on three elements. First, it examines the making of the modern tradition of printed Gaelic prose, as published in books and journals in the nineteenth century. Second, the course examines Gaelic poetry of nineteenth century, through the consideration of the work of selected major poets of the period and also the emergence into view of a large body of anonymously composed song-poetry and of popular song. The third element is an examination of the collection and publication of material from the wider Gaelic oral tradition. The nineteenth century witnessed the considerable expansion in the publication of all of these types of literary outputs, as well as the birth of modern Gaelic (and wider Celtic) scholarship, and these developments will be explored throughout the course. The literature considered on this course will be studied in the context of the wider cultural, social, political and economic context of the nineteenth century Highlands and Islands. |
| Course description |
Prior to the nineteenth century, religious material, particularly translations of the works of major Protestant writers such as John Bunyan, Philip Doddridge, Thomas Boston and Richard Baxter, dominated Gaelic publishing. While such translations continued to be an important genre in the nineteenth century, there was a great expansion in the amount of secular prose, facilitated by the development of a Gaelic periodical press. Of particular importance were genres such as the fictional prose ¿dialogue¿, pioneered by the Rev. Norman MacLeod, short works of fiction, ethnographic and travel writing, and, later in the century, essays, observational writing and sketches¿often of a humorous nature¿scholarly writing, and various forms of popular prose. In addition to an exploration of genres, themes and styles, the relationship between the oral tradition and print tradition will be examined.
The Gaelic poetry of the nineteenth century will be explored mainly from a thematic perspective¿significant changes in the form of Gaelic poetry, particularly metrical structures, only emerged in the twentieth century. Themes explored will include: the land question; emigration overseas and to the Lowlands; participation in the British military and in the expansion of Empire; and social and spiritual life.
Inspired in part by the work of ethnographers and folklorists in other countries, such as the Grimms, and by the perceived need to record Gaelic traditions that were increasingly under threat by linguistic, social and cultural change, the nineteenth century witnessed a considerable expansion in the range and depth of Gaelic oral traditions that were being collected. Particular attention will be given to the work of John Francis Campbell, Alexander Carmichael, Frances Tolmie, John Gregorson Campbell, John Dewar, and Fr. Allan MacDonald, and examples of the various genres of material collected and published will be considered.
Outline Content
The course will be divided into three units. The first unit will explore Gaelic prose production in the nineteenth century, with sessions on: the Gaelic periodicals which emerged in the first half of the nineteenth century and in particular on the work of Rev. Norman MacLeod, ¿Caraid nan Gàidheal¿; the Gaelic prose ¿dialogue¿; Gaelic essays, observational writing and scholarly writing; and Gaelic popular forms, including humorous writing. The second unit will explore Gaelic poetry of the nineteenth century, with sessions on the topics listed above: the land question; emigration overseas and to the Lowlands; participation in the British military and in the expansion of Empire; and social and spiritual life. The third will focus on the major collectors of Gaelic oral tradition, and on examples of the main forms of oral traditional that were collected and published. In each case, the material will be introduced by presentations which will contextualise the material explored in each unit.
Student Learning Experience.
The course will be conducted by way of weekly two-hour seminars. In the first week, there will be an introductory presentation on the structure, learning objectives and forms of assessment of the course, followed by a fifty minute lecture on the first topic to be covered. In the next week, the first half of the class will be given over to a discussion of the primary and secondary source material assigned as required readings for the first topic, and in the second half of the class, there will be a lecture on the second topic. This pattern will be followed in subsequent weeks: first, a discussion of the material introduced in the previous week, followed by a presentation on the material to be discussed in the next class. Students will be expected to engage with required readings and come to class prepared to discuss the material in class. Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the material covered in class in the take home assignment at the end of the course, but the work done in class is expected to inform the preparation of their class presentations and their course essays, as well.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Gaelic language competence equivalent to that required in section A, Pre-requisites |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate an awareness of the main genres and thematic diversity apparent in nineteenth century Gaelic prose literature, poetry, and oral tradition;
- demonstrate practical Gaelic language skills, for example in terms of the vocabulary of literary criticism;
- demonstrate an understanding of the motives, methods and output of collectors, editors and publishers of Gaelic prose literature, poetry, and oral tradition;
- demonstrate knowledge of linguistic and stylistic features of the forms of Gaelic literary output considered, including dialectal diversity, orthographic development, and register; and
- demonstrate an understanding of the social, political, and cultural context of Gaelic literary production of the nineteenth century.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Close engagement with and critical analysis of primary texts
Critical evaluation of secondary source material
Independent reading, and an ability to identify and locate relevant source materials
Coherent and clearly structured writing, and the ability to construct sound arguments
Ability to express oneself effective orally and in writing in English and in Gaelic
Effective engagement in group discussions
Effective time management
Ability to make effective oral presentations, employing relevant technology, including PowerPoints |
| Keywords | Scottish Gaelic prose,Scottish Gaelic poetry,Scottish Gaelic oral tradition,Scottish Gaelic folk |
Contacts
| Course organiser | |
Course secretary | |
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