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| Honours |
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NQF level: 8 |
Credits: 24 |
| Module presented in English |
Module presented online |
| Purpose: (1) Narratology: In this option various narratological theories and models will be studied critically and comparatively. Theories will be tested with reference to narrative texts and students will also have to consider interpretation strategies and evaluation criteria in the analysis of narrative texts. Aspects such as time, space, characterization, focalization and narration will be analysed in detail with reference to formalist, structuralist, semiotic and post-structuralist perspectives. Special attention will be given to recent contributions to structuralist narratology, such as the formalization of Propp's model or the use of Genette's systematic description of narrative structure in South African literatures and literatures from other parts of the world. Students will have the opportunity to discuss the applicability of specific approaches with reference to literary texts of their own choice, selected from any language. In this regard, students will have the opportunity to analyse aspects of postmodernist narrative texts with reference to current theoretical models. (2) Theory of Poetry: This option is constructed around the strategy of foregrounding in poetic texts. It explores the operation of foregrounding as a linguistic device and/or as a psychological effect. This involves the study of sophisticated theories of poetic language as well as of reader responses. In the study of the stylistics and/or the psychology of foregrounding, aspects such as metaphor, syntax, typography, sound, rhythm and metre will be studied in detail, with regard to the occurrence, operation and potential function of these aspects in poetic language and/or their actual function or effect on the reader.
The study of poetic texts selected from South African literatures and literatures from other parts of the world ranges in scope from one poem, one volume of a poet, the oeuvre of a poet, a poetic school or style including written and oral poetry, as well as comparison between poems and other non-literary texts. |