BTAN2113MA01
MAJOR FIGURES:
VIRGINIA WOOLF
BRITISH STUDIES MA
REQUIRED OPTIONAL SEMINAR
Tu 10.00-11.40
Rm 111
SÉLLEI NÓRA
OFFICE: 116/4
OFFICE HOURS:
Mo 15-16; Tu: 12-13
sellei.nora@arts.unideb.hu
The course is offered for MA students, who are already familiar with Virginia Woolf as a
major modernist, and have also read at least one novel by her. The course will build on this
preliminary knowledge, but the primary aim is the rereading of Woolf from a double
theoretical perspective: those of modernism and feminism. In this sense, the course will rely
on the critical turn that came about in the late 1970s and early 1980s, which created the term
female modernism, and posited Virginia Woolf as its major representative.
The course will consist of four major components: at the beginning, by reading Woolf’s
autobiographical texts, and by introducing the students to the Bloomsbury Group, we will
create a personal and at the same time cultural context for Woolf, and will investigate how
that complex cultural moment in history is related to her ideas on writing; in the second part,
we will reread Woolf’s “modernist manifestos”, and on that basis we will interpret, by
applying close reading, some short fictional texts; as a third component, students will face
Woolf as an essayist and theoretician of feminism and feminist literary criticism; and as a
final, but most substantial part, we will read three of her major novels from the double
perspective of modernism and feminism.
REQUIREMENTS:
Presence at classes: no more than three absences are allowed. In the case of a longer
absence (either due to illness, or official leave), the tutor and the student will come to
an agreement of how to solve the problem.
Assigned reading: The seminar format and the reading requirements suppose that the
assigned texts are read for the classes. Tests on the assigned readings can be expected at
each seminar. The result of these tests contributes to the seminar grade (“minor tests”:
9%). You must pass at least 66% of these tests, otherwise your seminar is a failure
(the grade is a one). You’ll be granted, though, one chance to make up for the failure of
these minor tests as agreed with your course tutor.
Reader’s journal: the student is expected to keep a reader’s journal in a separate notebook,
recording opinions, impressions, raising questions. The journals are to be in class, and
to be used for facilitating discussions.
Participation in classroom discussion: the student is expected to take an active part in
classroom discussions. This activity contributes to the seminar grade by 11% of the
overall achievement. (The reader’s journal can be of great help in this respect.)
Endterm test: an objective test on the works discussed during the term (30%). The test must
be written at the time scheduled in the syllabus. Failing to do so will count as course
failure, and only one re-sit test will be scheduled to make up for the failure.
Term essay (research paper): the student is expected to write a take-home essay of about
2,000 to 2,200 words, related to the course in its approach and thematic concerns
(30%).
The essay must be written in the form of a research paper. Secondary reading and
scholarly documentation, conforming to the requirements of the MLA Style Sheet,
are required (MLA style sheets and handbooks are available in the department
library). In their research papers students are required to cite at least five proper
academic sources like books, book chapters and/or journal articles of academic
standard, that is, referenced secondary material should either be borrowed from the
library or downloaded from an online database that meets scholarly requirements
(such as JSTOR or EBSCO). Quotes taken from printed or online sources such as
Wikipedia, Enotes, York Notes, etc. will NOT be accepted as relevant secondary
material.
Plagiarism and academic dishonesty will be penalised as described in the
Academic Handbook of the Institute (see also below). The essay is to be submitted
by the defined deadline, otherwise the grade will be lowered (see below). The essay
will only be accepted in a worprocessed (typed) format.
The cover sheet of the essay must contain the following statement: “Hereby, I
certify that the essay conforms to international copyright and plagiarism rules
and regulations,” and also the signature of the student.
Essay style-sheet:
for simple page references use brackets in the body of the text;
use notes only if you mean to add information that would seem a deviation in the text;
sample references in brackets:
(Smith 65); if there are several works by the same author choose a key word of the title of
the book: (Smith, Good 65), or if it is an article: (Smith, “Further” 65).
sample bibliography entry:
referring to books: Smith, John. Good Ideas. Place: Publisher, Year.
referring to articles, poems, etc.:
in volumes: Smith, John. “Further Good Ideas”. Editor of volume (if relevant). Volume
Title. Place: Publisher, Year.
in journals: Smith, John. “Further Good Ideas”. Title of Journal 2.4 (1996): pages.
Plagiarism and its consequences
Students must be aware that plagiarism is a crime which has its due consequences.
The possible forms of plagiarism:
1. word by word quotes from a source used as if they were one’s own ideas, without
quotation marks and without identifying the sources;
2. ideas taken from a source, paraphrased in the essay-writer’s own words and used as if
they were his/her own ideas, without identifying and properly documenting the source.
Plagiarism, depending on its seriousness and frequency, will be penalised in the following
ways:
1. The percentage of the submitted paper will be reduced.
2. The essay will have to be rewritten and resubmitted.
3. In a serious case, this kind of academic dishonesty will result in a failure.
4. In a recurring, and serious case, the student will be expelled from the English major
programme.
Late submission policy
1. Deadlines must be observed and taken seriously;
2. The essay submitted more than two weeks later than the deadline cannot be considered
for course work;
3. The essay submitted in less than two weeks after the deadline will be penalised by a
reduction in the percentage (the extent of the reduction is defined below: see
“Grading Policy”);
4.
In exceptional and well-documented cases, the extension of deadlines can be requested
of (negotiated with) the course tutor well in advance (definitely not after, or on the day
of, the deadline).
Assessment of the Research Papers
The essays must have a clear statement of theme, preferably in the form of a thesis
paragraph, and all the further statements must be related to this central topic or
question. The text (arguments, agreements and disagreements) must be organised
coherently so that the point you make and your flow of thoughts must be clear for the
reader. The essays must, naturally, be finished with a well articulated conclusion which
is supposed to be the culmination of your proposed arguments.
The essays will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:
 the articulateness of the thesis of the paper;
 the clarity of the position you take;
 the quality of the arguments;
 the use and integration of your secondary sources into the essay;
 the coherence of the structure;
 scholarly documentation;
 the level of your language.
The essays will not be evaluated on the basis of what your tutor’s position is in a certain
(and often controversial) issue, so feel free to elaborate your own ideas—but do it in a
sophisticated way.
Grading Policy
GRADING POLICY
minor tests
classroom discussion
end-term test
term essay
total
Essay late submission reduction
Delay (days) Reduction
1–2
2
3–5
5
6–9
10
10–14
15
9%
21%
30%
40%
100%
Research paper evaluation
Statement of thesis
Quality of argument
Coherence of structure
Scholarly
documentation
Level of language
Total
5
10
10
7
8
40
Grades
Percentage
87–100
75–86
63–74
51–62
0–50
Grade
5
4
3
2
1
TEXTS ARE AVAILABLE AS MARKED IN THE CHART BELOW; also, apart
from her autobiographical text, all the texts are available online at:
http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au
Week Date Topic
1
16.09 An introduction to the life and works of Virginia Woolf, and to Bloomsbury
Recommended reading: VW: A Supplementary Reader and the DeSalvo book (latter
one: my own book deposited, and not on loan, in the library)
 “Clive Bell” & “Vanessa Bell.” Quentin Bell, Elders and Betters. London:
Pimlico, 1995. (22–58). Plus individual research on them.
 “Duncan Grant” & “David Garnett.” Quentin Bell, Elders and Betters. London:
Pimlico, 1995. (59–84). Plus individual research on them.
 “Maynard Keynes” & “Roger Fry.” Quentin Bell, Elders and Betters. London:
Pimlico, 1995. (85–115). Plus individual research on them.
 “Leonard Woolf” & “Meeting with Morgan.” Quentin Bell, Elders and Betters.
London: Pimlico, 1995. (116–128; 140–146). Plus individual research on them.
 “The MacCarthys” & “Ottoline Morrell.” Quentin Bell, Elders and Betters.
London: Pimlico, 1995. (129–139; 161–168). Plus individual research on them
 “The Stracheys.” Quentin Bell, Elders and Betters. London: Pimlico, 1995.(147–
160) & Lytton Strachey, “Florence Nightingale” OR “Dr. Arnold.” Lytton
Strachey, Eminent Victorians. Ed. & intr. by Michael Holyroyd. London: Penguin,
1986. (111–162) OR (163–189)
 Virginia, Vanessa and Carrington: Mary Ann Caws, “These Working Women.”
Women of Bloomsbury. Virginia, Vanessa and Carrington. London: Routledge,
1990. (9–28).
 Virginia, Vanessa and Carrington: Mary Ann Caws, “How We See, How We
Are.” Women of Bloomsbury. Virginia, Vanessa and Carrington. London:
Routledge, 1990. (156–184).
 any chapter from DeSalvo, Louise. Virginia Woolf and the Impact of Childhood
Sexual Abuse on Her Life and Work. New York: Ballantine, 1989.
2
23.09. Autobiographical writings: “A Sketch of the Past,” “Hyde Park Gate 22,” Old
Bloomsbury”
IN: Virginia Woolf, Moments of Being. Unpublished Autobiographical Writings. Ed.
& intr. by Jeanne Schulkind. London: Grafton, 1989. (photocopies available in the
Institute Library)
Recommended:
Any chapter from: Louise deSalvo, Virginia Woolf — The Impact of Childhood
Sexual Abuse on Her Life and Work. New York, Ballantine Books, 1989.
Any chapter in “Part I: 1882–1904” from Hermione Lee, Virginia Woolf. London:
Vintage, 1999.
3
30.09. Modernist theory and experimental shorter fiction:
“Modern Fiction” and “Mr Bennett and Mrs Brown” (in Female Modernists– A
reader compiled by the instructor and available in the Institute Library)
“Mark on the Wall,” “Kew Gardens,” (both in Female Modernists) and “An
Unwritten Novel” (in: VW: A Supplementary Reader)
4
07.10. The essayist of feminism I:
Women’s writing: A Room of One’s Own (photocopies in the Library)
Recommended reading: “Women Novelists,” “The Tunnel” (in: VW: A
Supplementary Reader)
5
14.10. The essayist of feminism II:
For all students:
Feminist politics: Three Guineas (photocopies in the Library)
Recommended reading:
The essay “Professions for Women” (in: VW: A Supplementary Reader)
6
7
8
9
10
21.10.
28.10.
04.11.
11.11.
18.11.
11
25.11.
12
13
14
02.12.
09.12.
16.12.
To the Lighthouse I: Notions of masculinity and femininity
Consultation week (no class)
To the Lighthouse II: The problem of the “two endings”
Flush
Sally Potter’s film adaptation of Orlando (film viewing)
ESSAY DEADLINE: 13.00 (LATEST SUBMISSION: 13.00 ON 2 December)
Orlando: a comparative reading of Woolf’s and Potter’s texts
Recommended reading:
Relevant chapters from Victoria Glendinning, Vita: The Life of Vita Sackville-West.
Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1983. (my own book in the library, not on loan)
Between the Acts
End-term test
In my absence, no class
Evaluation: in any of the office hours in the exam period (time: TBA)