Texts that have an enduring appeal have been translated, adapted or rewritten, and thus can be said to 'travel' across time, space, cultures and media. Such texts are often termed 'World Literature' due to their ability to cross all sorts of borders. The course will study a sample of 'travelling texts' alongside various adaptations of them. There will be an emphasis on adaptations into recent contexts, whether these are modern, postmodern, postcolonial or decolonial.

20 x 1hr sessions or 10 x 2hr sessions over one semester as scheduled in MyCampus.

This is one of the honours options in SMLC and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

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The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Essay (2000 words) - 50%

■ Essay (2000 words) - 50%

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ There is no alternative to the essays, but an extension to the deadline can be offered as reasonable adjustment (students should follow the usual process for extensions).

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor. 

This course aims to:

■ engage with classic texts and their adaptions, and to put these in context from a research-led perspective;

■ analyse a range of textual and cultural materials across a range of periods and genres, allowing students to build up specialist knowledge;

■ encourage students to compare, contrast and analyse the texts and other cultural materials;

■ engage with a range of methodological and theoretical approaches to adaptation and rewriting.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ compare and contrast set material by the authors/filmmakers and contexts studied;

■ assess the relationship between the films/texts and their social, historical and political contexts;

■ identify and discuss the major questions and features regarding the prescribed material, including developments across a range of representations;

■ contribute to seminar discussion, analysing material with regard to its broad themes, significant detail, and socio-cultural, historical and ideological contexts;

■ complete coherent, structured and focused written work on topics related to the set texts;

■ make competent use of secondary material and successfully integrate such material into an original argument.