This is an introductory coiurse on American Culture and Literature. It will provide an overview of main periods in American history, the developmens of American English, regional and racial differences, and wil include texts by major writers of poetry, fiction, and drama, from Melville and Whitman to Frost, Eliot, and Hemingway.
Students will acquire a general knowledge of the language, culture, institutions and selectied literary trende and tgexts of the U.S.
The course aims to familiarize students with major trends of American culture and with important works in different genres (fiction, essay, drama, poetry, film). Students will learn how to analyze such works competently from a historical and generic perspective.
Lecture course. Three hours per week given in two classes (of 2 hours and 1 hour respectively).
Background readings on US history and language; readings of novels, stories, poems, and plays by such writers as Melville, Whitman, Dickinson, Stein, Frost, Anderson, Pound, Eliot, Hemingway, John Cheever and Alice Munro, American music, classic and popular (Spirituals, Ives, Dylan, Rzewski) will also be consideed, as well as selected movies. There will be guest lectures by scholars and writers.
Reading List (indicative)
Stephen Crane, The Monster
Robert Frost, selected poems
Henry James, The Aspern Papers
Getrude Stein, Three Lives
Mark Twain, The Mysterious Stranger
Tennessee Williams, Orpheus Descending
Melvyn Bragg, The Adventure of English ("My America", "Wild West Words", "Sold Down the River") Outline of American History (2005) http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/outlines/history-2005/
MASSIMO BACIGALUPO (President)
STEFANIA MICHELUCCI
Week of 27 February 2017
Students will take a written exam at the end of the course (June, July, September, October 2017 February 2018). Their work will be evaluated by the lecturer and a colleague in the same subject. If they wish to improve their grade they can write a short paper on a subject agreed upon with lectuter.
EXAMINATION PROCEDURE There will be a written exam (3 hours), which can be taken in June-July, September-October 2013 or February 2014. The exam is in three parts: Part 1 - Fill in the blank (10 questions); Part 2 - Short Answer (5 questions); Part 3 - Essay questions (Answer 3 questions chosen from a list).
After taking the written exam, students may write a 1,500-words paper on a subject agreed upon with the lecturer.If satisfactory, thesis may count for two extra points towards final grade.
PLAGIARISMS ARE UNACCEPTABLE AND WILL LEAD TO A LOWER OR FAIL GRADE.
