This module focuses on literature produced in the period c. 1400-1700. Students will read a variety of early dramatic texts in English, focusing on topics and themes and major concerns as well as the conditions of performance and the impact on the literary text of developments in theatre. It will also broaden understanding of the social and political cultures of the late Middle Ages and early modern period.

This module is an introduction to late-medieval cycle drama (morality and mystery plays) and to early modern dramatic plays and masques (court dramas), written and performed in both Ireland and Britain. Students will encounter late Middle English, the language of the period from 1300 onwards, learning to read and critically appraise it in the relatively accessible form of drama. The module looks at the progression of dramatic traditions and conventions into the Tudor and Stuart periods, focusing on major authors as well as lesser-known playwrights, but also examining the geographies of drama, as performances shift from city- and town-based cycle plays to private and court theatre and, eventually, to the public playhouses. A further concern will be with how playtexts survive, and the threshold between performed and physical text. Furthermore, the module will also consider the effects of social, religious and political change (e.g. Reformation, conflicts) on the political concerns of texts.

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to: Demonstrate familiarity with key issues arising in a selection of literary and cultural texts from the Early Modern period; Examine the prescribed texts in the cultural, political, and social contexts in which they were produced; Relate texts to literary traditions; Distinguish between different genres and modes; Interpret and analyse texts through an established process of close reading; Evaluate arguments relating to interpretation, concepts, and theories with respect to the prescribed texts; Write an essay on a set topic at the appropriate level.

Affective (Attitudes and Values) This module will augment students' critical appreciation of literary artefacts by exposing them to the stylistic, historical and cultural factors involved in the creation of literature. On successful completion of this module, students should be able to utilise their learning activities as a basis for further independent cultural and literary development.

n/a

The module consists of two lectures and one tutorial per week. Through a combination of lecture and class interaction, students will be engaged in active learning both inside and outside the classroom and will be encouraged to engage with the performative as well as literary aspects of the material. Students will be introduced via online platforms to original contemporary documents as well as to modern performances and interpretations.