This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2010-2011 (archived)
Module FREN3231: THE ROMANCE OF THE GRAIL
Department: Modern Languages and Cultures (French)
FREN3231: THE ROMANCE OF THE GRAIL
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 3 | 20 | Not available in 2010/2011 | 30 | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- French Language 2 (FREN2051) OR an equivalent qualification to the satisfaction of the Chairman/Chairwoman of the Board of Studies in MLAC or his/her representative.
Corequisites
- Modern Languages, Combined Honours and all Joint and 'with' programmes: French Language 4 (FREN3041) or French Language 4 following Year Abroad (FREN3351). Other: see Chairman/Chairwoman of the Board of Studies in MLAC or his/her representative
Excluded Combinations
- None
Aims
- The module seeks to examine the development of one of the most enduring of European myths and its relevance to the knowledge and appreciation of subsequent cultural manifestations.
Content
- Two medieval texts, typically Chretien de Troyes' Perceval, La Queste del Saint Graal.
- Two modern texts, typically Tennyson, Idylls of the King, Jacques Roubaud, Graal-Theatre.
- A selection of films: e.g. Eric Rohmer's Perceval, Terry Gilliam’s The Fisher King.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- Using a broad range of material, including film, students will address the myth of the Grail from a number of perspectives.
- Students will develop an understanding and appreciation of medieval texts and how to respond to the cultural heritage embedded in more modern works, including film.
Subject-specific Skills
- Development of critical skills - close reading of primary texts
- Ability to relate texts judiciously to overarching themes of rewriting and reinterpretation
- Ability to analyse imaginatively and rigorously relationships between literature and film
- Ability to critique secondary material
Key Skills
- Critical and analytical
- essay-writing and commentary
- structuring of arguments
- independent learning
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Lectures, Seminars, Preparation, Reading, Summative Essays and Examination
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| lectures | 21 | weekly | 1 hour | 21 | |
| seminars | 10 | fortnightly | 1 hour | 10 | |
| Preparation and Reading | 169 | ||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 50% | Written Examination | 2 hours | 100% | No |
| Summative Essay 1 | 20% | Summative Essay 1 | 1,200 words | 100% | No |
| Summative Essay 2 | 30% | Summative Essay 2 | 1,800 words | 100% | No |
Formative Assessment
None
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.