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Course details
Full Year
Sovereign Bodies: Tragedy c. 1380-1625 (ENLI10284)
Subject Area
English Literature
Pre-requisites
A MINIMUM of 4 college/university level literature courses at grade B or above (should include no more than one introductory level literature course). Related courses such as cross disciplinary, "Freshman Seminars", civilisation or creative writing classes are not considered for admission to this course. Applicants should also note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission. In making admissions decisions preference will be given to students who achieve above the minimum requirement with the typical visiting student admitted to this course having four or more literature classes at grade A. ** as numbers are limited, visiting students should contact the Visiting Student Office directly for admission to this course **
Credits
20
Course level
SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate)
Course description
This course will consider what writers, readers, and audiences expected from tragedy as a form of political writing in the premodern world. Its principal concern will be with the representation of sovereigns and, more broadly, with the nature of political sovereignty. Students will consider the relationship between the monarch=s management (or mismanagement) of his or her body and the way in which the ?body politic= is governed. They will also consider how tragedy explores a range of questions connected to the investment of political authority in the person of the king or queen: what kind of powers does a monarch possess and how is this justified? What happens when these powers are confronted by, or help to cause, a political crisis? How do earthly powers relate to divine sovereignty? Are there alternatives to investing sovereignty in the body of the king or queen? These issues will be explored through a range of tragic plays and poems from Chaucer to Shakespeare.
Timetable
View the timetable and assessment information for this course
Course delivered by
College of Humanities and Social Science
School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures
This article was published on Feb 24, 2012