British Narrative: Pre-modern and Contemporary - MA Seminar 3

Master's seminars

Continuation of the first year. During the third semester of the MA seminar, students further develop their research on a specific aspect of selected British narratives and discuss with the supervisor new written output in the form of sub-sections and chapters of their thesis. The discussions concern substantive and interpretative issues arising in the course of research. Methodological framework, mechanics of writing, and documenting sources are further scrutinized. Students continue to build their academic integrity and competences in evaluating sources, providing constructive feedback, and critical assessment of research. The seminar may take the form of regular classes, classroom discussions and individual meetings with the supervisor.

Problems related to individual research are discussed both in class and individually. The specific problems may include representation of gender roles in literary genres such as children's literature, fairy tale, and fanatsy; trauma in dual-addressee literature; literary cosmogonies in fantasy; prophetic discourse in contemporary fantasy; representation of birds in fantasy; tragic heroines in medieval narrative and Victorian novel; representation of university in medieval narrative and contemporary campus fiction; queer coming of age in modern novel; narrative techniques in modernist short story. Participants deepen and expand their knowledge of selected narratives and their generic characteristics and cultural contexts. Thesis fragments and chapters are discussed in class and individually. Oral and visual presentations on topics related to participants' research are delivered. Selected critical and theoretical publications and theoretical and methodlological issues are discussed with reference to reading assignments.

V. Propp, Morphology of the Folktale (U of Texas P, 2009).

J. Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (2004).

E. James and F. Mendlesohn (eds.), The Cambridge Companion to Fantasy Literature (2012).

H. Fulton (ed.), A Companion to Arthurian Literature (Blackwell, 2009).

T. Davenport, Medieval Narrative: An Introduction (Oxford UP, 2004).

H. Cooper, The English Romance in Time (Oxford UP, 2004).

N. Cartlidge (ed.), Heroes and Anti-heroes in Medieval Romance (Brewer, 2012).

K. Coats et al, A Companion to Children's Literature (Blackwell, 2022)

J. Rossen, The University in Modern Fiction (1993)

B. Kowalik (ed.),‘O, What a Tangled Web’: Tolkien and Medieval Literature. A View from Poland (Walking Tree Publishers, 2013).

B. Kowalik, „Foreignness in Katherine Mansfield’s 'Bliss' and Other Stories” (Peter Lang, 2015), 75-89.

B. Kowalik, „J. R. R. Tolkien’s Portrayal of Gandalf and the Medieval Legend of the Noble Pagan” (Verlag Trier, 2020), 179-198.

B. Kowalik, “Tolkien’s Use of the Motif of Goldsmith-Craft and the Middle English ‘Pearl’: Ring or Hand?” (Walking Tree Publishers, 2020), 40-71.

B. Kowalik, „Mit skarbu według J. R. R. Tolkiena w świetle jego przekładu 'Beowulfa'”, Acta Neophilologica (UWM) XVIII/1 (2016): 97-110.

The graduate will be able to:

- characterize on an advanced level the principles of research design in literary studies with special focus on the application of methods and tools in formulating research problems in the study of British narrative medieval and modern

- identify the notions and principles pertinent to intellectual property and copyright

- characterise economic, legal and other factors relevant for various kinds of professional activities related to the study programme

The graduate is able to:

- apply advanced terminology and notions pertinent to the discipline (literary studies), particularly narrative studies

- apply advanced research methodology within literary studies and English studies, in particular in the field of narratology, respecting ethical norms and copyright law

- apply knowledge obtained during the course of studies to account for and solve a problem, thereby completing a research task related to the discipline literary studies, particularly narrative studies

- analyze lliterary phenomena and draw generalizations on their basis in the context of cultural, societal, historical and economic factors on an advanced level

- find information in various sources and critically assess its usefulness for research related to the topic of the MA project

- use modern technology in the process of learning and communicating with academic teachers, colleagues, representatives of various institutions and fellow participants in classes and projects, applying various channels and techniques of communication

- design one’s own development

The graduate is ready to:

- apply knowledge and skills obtained during the course of studies to undertake lifelong learning, as well as personal and professional development

Progress in writing the MA thesis: submitting a draft of all the remaining chapters and sections of the thesis. Active participation in classes. Three absences are excusable.