2ML351 Reading film and fiction
- Course code2ML351
- Number of credits10
- Teaching semester2025 Autumn
- Language of instructionEnglish
- CampusHamar
- Required prerequisite knowledge
None
This is an introductory course in reception studies. The course will involve close readings of primary texts and investigations into their historical reception. Film adaptations will receive special focus. This will be combined with discussions of key theoretical contributions to the field. Working from the premise that all texts are historically situated and acquire new meanings in new contexts, we will explore the reception history of a number of different texts from different historical periods. The course operates from a broad definition of text and reading – films and other cultural expressions are also texts that may be read. Skills in reception studies will raise awareness of how texts are read and understood, by oneself and others, ultimately serving to empower students, pupils and other readers in their interpretations of literary texts and films. These skills will be connected to relevant didactic theory.
- A selection of literary texts and films
- The reception history of texts, both popular and academic, including digital reception
- Literary theory
- Reception theory and adaptation theory
- Didactic theory
- Praxis-oriented perspectives on the uses of literary texts and films in teaching and other forms of culture work
Learning Outcome
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will have achieved the following learning outcomes:
The student
- has comprehensive knowledge about a selection of literary texts in English, including their reception history, with special focus on film adaptations
- has thorough familiarity with literary theory
- has a broad understanding of the manifold lives of literary texts and films
- has advanced knowledge about perspectives within theories of reception and adaptation
- has thorough knowledge about a broad selection of theories of reading and interpretation
- has broad knowledge about the use of literature and film in teaching and/or other forms of dissemination
The student
- can analyse literary texts and films by using current theories and methods within the fields of literature and film
- can employ knowledge about literary history, reception theory, and adaptation theory in order to understand the reception history of literary texts and film adaptations
- can use theoretical perspectives on reading literature and film in order to understand his or her own and others’ reading and interpretation, and employ that understanding in teaching and/or other dissemination situations
- can make use of perspectives from reception theory in teaching and/or other forms of dissemination, in order to understand, differentiate for and supervise a variety of readers in their learning and development
The student
- can reflect on how literary texts appear in historical and material forms
- can analyse relevant theoretical and ethical topics within the field
- can communicate fluently in English about relevant topics, analyses and conclusions, with other students, specialists, and the general public
- can use his or her knowledge and skills independently in order to complete oral and written tasks in English
- can analyse and critically relate to research and use these skills in their professions
- An attendance record of at least 75 % according to the semester plan. Students are responsible for registration of attendance
- Participation in at least one net-seminar
- 1-2 obligatory assignments (oral and/or written)
| Form of assessment | Grading scale | Grouping | Duration of assessment | Support materials | Proportion | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Home exam | ECTS - A-F | Individual | 3 Day(s) |
| 100 |
Three day individual take-home exam, 4000 words.
The exam is graded on a scale from A to F. A is the highest pass grade and E is the lowest pass grade.