Anglophone World LiteratureModule Details

Background and Rationale

This module will allow students to enhance their knowledge and understanding of literature by studying some of the most vibrant examples of international Anglophone writing in the twentieth century. The first half of the module focuses on two novels that dramatize the rising momentum of Indian independence (Raja Rao’s Kanthapura (1938). The second half of the module moves critical attention to novels set in postindependence Zimbabwe (Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions) and India (Arundati Roy’s The God of Small Things). Students will examine the ways in which these novels engage the legacies of empire and colonialism; represent challenges to colonial authority and movements towards independence; and explore complex issues of power and identity in the postcolonial period. The authors’ use of English – historically the language of cultural imperialism – will also be assessed. In tandem with their reading of the primary texts, students are required to engage with a range of postcolonial literary criticism.

Learning Outcomes
 

Upon completing the course successfully, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of postcolonial literature from Africa and India
2. Demonstrate a knowledge of the historical and cultural contexts in whichpostcolonial texts are created
3. Demonstrate an understanding of critical debates pertinent to the study ofpostcolonial texts
4. Apply a nuanced understanding of postcolonial texts in completing module assignments