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| Semester | spring semester 2021 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Balazs Rapcsak (balazs.rapcsak@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Samuel Beckett was one of the seminal figures of 20th-century literature, producing equally captivating works as a novelist, playwright, writer of short fiction and poet. This course will explore his extraordinarily rich and unique dramatic work, following its development from 1952 to 1984. We will examine a representative selection of Beckett's plays not only across the decades, but also across media, and so will read scripts as well as listen to and watch broadcast performances. The course can thus also be understood as an introduction to intermediality studies, allowing us to reflect on the differences - and interplay - between literary texts and audiovisual recordings in their specific technological realizations. Juxtaposing Beckett's artistic experiments with the theatre stage, with radio, with television, and with cinema, we will learn about the history of these media both as technical apparatuses and as art forms. Along the way, we will refine our skills of textual interpretation, while gaining insights into the specificity of radio and TV drama too. Challenging though his work may be, Beckett's characteristic brand of dark humour will keep us entertained. |
| Learning objectives | Students will develop their critical understanding of a major representative of (post)modernism. They will hone their close reading skills and enhance their knowledge of drama analysis. They will practice the media-specific analysis of artistic products and improve their understanding of its importance. They will also learn how to navigate and orient themselves in what is the fastest-growing critical discourse around a single author today. |
| Bibliography | Please acquire the following edition of Beckett's plays: Beckett, Samuel. "The Complete Dramatic Works". London: Faber and Faber, 2006. ISBN 9780571229154. Recordings of Beckett's plays for radio and television, as well as his only cinematic work, "Film", will be made available during the semester. Secondary literature will be uploaded to ADAM. The final list of plays to be discussed will be determined together with the students at the first meeting, following an introductory survey and a series of teasers provided by the instructor. However, it is recommended that you read Beckett's two longer plays, "Waiting for Godot" and "Endgame", before the beginning of the term. |
| Weblink | ADAM |
| Admission requirements | This seminar is for students who have completed ALL three introductory modules (including the proseminar papers). |
| Course application | Please register by sending an email to balazs.rapcsak(at)unibas.ch, and do not forget to sign up via MOnA. Registration will open on 1 January 2021. Please note that places are limited to 25, and once the course is fully booked, you will have to sign up for one of the department's alternative offerings. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, mandatory |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz - |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 04.03.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 11.03.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 18.03.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 25.03.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 01.04.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Ostern |
| Thursday 08.04.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 15.04.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 22.04.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 29.04.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 06.05.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 13.05.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | Auffahrt |
| Thursday 20.05.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 27.05.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Thursday 03.06.2021 | 16.15-18.00 | - Online Präsenz -, -- |
| Modules |
Modul: Advanced Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Bachelor's degree subject: English) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Regular and active participation, a brief presentation or short writing assignments |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Englische Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft |