Communicative and written competence in English at C1 level or above.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Gain in-depth knowledge of Irish women’s contemporary writing in its historical, sociological, and literary contexts;
• Review and apply a selection of literary theories such as genre theories (the bildungsroman, the short story) and feminist and gender theories to Irish writing;
• Critically discuss chosen texts and issues in class presentations with their peers;
• Write analytically about a chosen text in an academic essay.

Irish Women’s Contemporary Writing: Bildung, Borders, Margins

Irish women’s contemporary writing, especially fiction, is thriving in Ireland and on the international stage. Sally Rooney’s second novel Normal People (2018) rapidly became a global bestseller and was adapted into a successful TV series (2020). Claire Keegan’s short story Foster (2010) was recently rediscovered thanks to the 2022 Irish-language film adaptation An Cailín Cuín (The Quiet Girl) directed by Colm Bairéad, which was both nominated for and the recipient of numerous accolades at international film festivals. Similarly, Keegan’s novella Small Things Like These (2021), which addresses Ireland’s history of institutional abuse, has recently been made into a film (2024, dir. Tim Mielants) starring Academy Awards winner Cillian Murphy. Out of the cinematic spotlight, women writers from both the Republic and Northern Ireland engage readers with gripping and inventive coming-of-age narratives (Louise Nealon and Jan Carson) as well as powerful memoirs investigating motherhood, the female body, and the legacy of older Irish literary traditions (Doireann Ní Ghríofa). In this course we will read a selection of Irish women’s writing and discuss the way these texts respond to Irish history and social change, reimagine genres, and foreground the female experience.

Primary Texts

1.        (A) Sally Rooney. Normal People. London: Faber and Faber, 2018.

2.        (A) Doireann Ní Ghríofa. A Ghost in the Throat. Dublin: Tramp Press, 2020.

3.        (A) Louise Nealon. Snowflake. London: Manila Press, 2021.

4.        (A) Claire Keegan. Foster. London: Faber and Faber, 2010.

5.        (A) Claire Keegan. Small Things Like These. London: Faber and Faber, 2021.

6.        (A) Jan Carson. The Raptures. Dublin: Doubleday, 2022.

Secondary Readings

7.        (A/C) A selection of scholarly criticism on the primary texts will be available on Teams.

The course is taught and assessed entirely in English. A weekly schedule for the topics and readings will be illustrated at the beginning of the course and available on Teams along with the secondary readings. Students are kindly invited to regularly check Teams for materials and updates.

• Classes are partly lecture- and seminar-based and students will be working in smaller groups for discussion tasks or short presentations. Students are required to read assigned texts or extracts periodically and are expected to come to class prepared to actively engage in a respectful academic discussion with their peers and their teacher. Reading and discussion questions on the primary texts will be made available in advance on Teams. In the classroom we will also work on academic writing skills in preparation for the essay assignment.

• Assessment 

  • Argumentative Essay: 50% (of MOD. B weight)

  Students will write an argumentative essay on  one of the six primary texts (max. 2,500 words). The essay must be submitted via email to the teacher 10 working days prior to the oral exam session. Evaluation criteria: 1. Argumentation: effectiveness and persuasiveness of thesis statement; clarity of exposition and argument progression (10%); 2. Use of sources: choice of relevant academic sources and good use of evidence from primary and secondary sources; accurate referencing (15%); 3. Analysis: close-reading skills; attention to textual detail and ambivalence; ability to deploy a theoretical framework and/or engage in academic debates (20%). 4. Organization and language use: presence of a clear structure; generally correct English (5%).

  • Oral Exam: 50% (of MOD. B weight)

  The oral exam will consist of questions on three additional primary texts (other than the one chosen for the essay). The exam questions will draw on the reading and discussion questions for each text available on Teams. Evaluation criteria: 1. Knowledge of relevant historical, social, literary, and cultural contexts for Irish women’s contemporary writing and three primary texts of your choice (20%); 2. Analysis: ability to engage critically with the primary texts; close-reading skills (attention to textual detail) (20%); 3) Oral communication skills in English: ability to discuss material and concepts in generally sound English, demonstrating accuracy, fluency, and attention to pronunciation (10%).

   

  ***Please note that the essay and the oral exam described above will only count towards Module B (30 hours; 6 CFU). In order to receive the full 9 CFU for Letteratura e Cultura Inglese II/M,  you will also have to take ‘Module A’ (15 hours; 3 CFU) taught by Professor Silvana Colella. Please refer to the Module A page for more information on the contents and assessment of that module. The total grade for the full 9 CFU will be reached by combining your grade for module A with module B, with module A weighing approx. 33% and module B weighing approx. 66%.***

The course is taught and assessed entirely in English. 

English