HL1001 Introduction to the Study of Literature
Professor: Dr. Kevin Riordan
Tutors: Rosemary Chan, Goh Jiamin, Ho Jiaxuan
Contact Information TBD
Lecture: Tuesdays 1:30-330, Location TBD
Tutorials: Times and Locations TBD
Course Description
HL1001 is an introduction to the study of literature at the tertiary level. The course’s primary
goal is to further develop your critical reading and writing skills. With the readings, we will pay
particular attention to questions of form, style, and context. Through the written assignments,
students will become comfortable and confident with the conventions of academic writing, while
working to develop compelling, well-supported arguments. As we will read across a wide range
of literary genres and traditions, our discussions will be focused thematically on the place of
literature and the ways in which it travel. This class will call on you to be curious, creative,
inquisitive, reflective, and critical.
Core texts:
Norton Anthology, Vol. 2, 8th edition.
Shakespeare, The Tempest
Coetzee, Foe
Course Assessment:
Paper 1 (Textual Analysis)
Paper 2 (Comparative Analysis
Preparation and Participation
Final Exam
20 %
20 %
10 %
50 %
100 %
Final Exam: The final exam will contain essay questions about Coetzee’s Foe and Beckett’s
Endgame as well as short answer questions drawing on the overall course.
Plagiarism disclaimer: Please see the divisional policy of plagiarism here:
http://www3.ntu.edu.sg/hss2/english/Plagiarism.pdf
Week
1
Topic / Genre
Course Introduction
Readings & Assignments DUE
Borges (in-class)
2
Epic and Nonfiction
Homer and Kincaid (Edventure)
3
Poetry and Drama
Shakespeare (print and Edventure)
4
Drama
5
Poetry
6
Fiction
Shakespeare (print)
Draft of Essay 1 due
Selected poetry (Norton and Edventure)
Essay 1 due
Conrad (Norton)
7
Fiction
Conrad (Norton)
8
9
Recess
Poetry and Film
10
Film
11
Drama
12
Drama
Beckett (Norton)
Essay 2 due
Becket (Norton)
13
Fiction
Coetzee (print)
14
Fiction and Poetry
Course Conclusions
Final Exam
Coetzee (print)
Selected poetry (Norton and Edventure)
15
Selected Edison and Lumière films (online)
Selected poetry (Norton and Edventure)
Marker (screening TBD)