SEL3442 : War Writing: Heroic and Hostile Discourses in Early Literature
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Available for Study Abroad and Exchange students, subject to School approval at module registration
- Module Leader(s): Dr Aditi Nafde
- Lecturer: Dr Ruth Connolly, Dr Adam Mearns
- Owning School: English Lit, Language & Linguistics
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
N/A
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
War Writing asks students to think about who early period literature belongs to today. It examines ideas of patriotism, national identity, and the intersection of religion and race in narratives of 'us' and 'them'. It therefore revisits dialogues of warfare but, moreover, storytelling and the power of the narrative to manipulate readers and to create biases that still have influence today. The module gives students the opportunity to develop detailed knowledge of Medieval and Early Modern Literature and to broaden their understanding of the wider themes and contexts, the conceptual and contextual approaches, and the critical methods germane to the study of the literature of this period.
Outline Of Syllabus
The module will explore themes and debates of war and storytelling, and also how writers responded creatively to new and old influences, how they explored authorship and their reading audience, and persistent themes such as gender, chivalry, patriotism, national identity, poverty, and protest. Topics may include:
• Old English narratives of otherness
• Early Middle English discourses of race and national identity
• Chaucer writing women and writing England
• Arthurian texts writing chivalry and gender
• Early drama and religious identity
• Early modern texts and narratives of early imperialism.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 167:00 | 167:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Oral Presentations (mid-module assessment) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 10 | 1:00 | 10:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Drop-in/surgery | 1 | 1:00 | 1:00 | Essay Tutorials |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures introduce students to the module topics. Small group teaching seminars introduce students to knowledge outcomes and provide support for the guided reading of early Literatures. Workshops enable students to practice their skills, namely close textual analysis, critical thinking, literacy, oral, written, and interpersonal communication, and the synthesis and presentation of material. Directed research and reading time, as well as independent study allows students to prepare for the seminars and assessments in terms that give them genuine ownership over the material.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oral Presentation | 2 | M | 20 | N/A |
| Essay | 2 | A | 80 | c. 3000 words or equivalent. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The combination of a mid-module presentation on their research theme and final essay on that same topic allows students to take ownership over the material, enabling them to explore the module's themes and their own independent interests guided by the module teaching. Ensuring good coverage of the texts on the module, the assessment will focus students upon detailed aspects of the material in terms that connect their ideas with the module’s broader thematic content.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- SEL3442's Timetable