| Course title | Text and Context: Literature as a Source |
|---|---|
| Course code | KHI/XBEX |
| Organizational form of instruction | Lecture + Seminar |
| Level of course | Master |
| Year of study | not specified |
| Semester | Winter and summer |
| Number of ECTS credits | 5 |
| Language of instruction | Czech |
| Status of course | Compulsory-optional |
| Form of instruction | Face-to-face |
| Work placements | This is not an internship |
| Recommended optional programme components | None |
| Lecturer(s) |
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| Course content |
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Main seminar topics: 1. History and Literature: Literature as a historical source; the relationship between literary fiction and historical reality; methodological approaches to the study of literary sources; the possibilities and limitations of their historical interpretation. 2. Characteristics of Medieval Literature: Distinctive features of medieval (and early modern) literary production; authorship, audience, and the functions of texts; oral and written culture; the diversity of literary genres and the transformation of literary communication. 3. Interpreting Literary Texts: Basic concepts and approaches to literary interpretation; the model reader, authorial intention, and the reception of texts; the historical context of the production and dissemination of literary works. 4. Hagiography as a Historical Source: The characteristics of hagiographical literature; the functions of saints' lives in medieval society; the construction of sanctity, miracles, and exemplary narratives; the potential of hagiographical texts for the study of medieval religiosity, mentalities, and social values. 5. Medieval Historiography: Chronicles and other narrative historical sources; The Chronicle of Cosmas, The Zbraslav Chronicle, and other selected works; the authorship, purpose, and intended audience of chronicles; factors affecting their evidential value; changing interpretations of medieval chronicles from nineteenth-century positivist historiography to contemporary methodological approaches. 6. Ego-documents and Autobiographical Texts: Characteristics and typology of ego-documents; autobiographies, memoirs, travel accounts, and diaries as historical sources; Vita Caroli, The Memoirs of Helena Kottanner, and Johannes Butzbach's Hodoporicon as examples of different forms of self-narrative and their potential for the study of premodern society. Travel accounts associated with the diplomatic mission of Lev of Rožmitál to the courts of Western Europe and their characteristics, with particular attention to questions of genre. 7. Literature as a Source for Cultural and Social History: Literary texts as sources for the study of everyday life, gender relations, religion, political culture, emotions, identity, and collective memory; analysis of literary representations of premodern society. Throughout the course: Analysis and interpretation of selected texts: independent work with literary sources of various genres; identifying their value as historical evidence; formulating historical questions; and critically evaluating the possibilities and limitations of literary texts for the reconstruction of the past.
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| Learning activities and teaching methods |
| Monologic Lecture(Interpretation, Training), Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook) |
| Learning outcomes |
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The seminar introduces students to the possibilities and limitations of using literary texts as historical sources. It focuses on methodological questions concerning the relationship between history and literature, as well as on the interpretation of selected literary genres with regard to their value as sources of historical evidence. Through the reading and analysis of literary texts, students explore how literature reflects, shapes, and interprets the social, cultural, and political realities of its time. By analysing selected medieval texts, they become familiar with the distinctive features of individual literary genres and with both their potential and their limitations as sources of historical knowledge. Particular emphasis is placed on developing students' ability to use medieval literary works as sources for the study of premodern society, culture, and everyday life, while critically assessing their evidential value and interpretative potential.
The students understand basic concepts and methods of literary theory and they know how to apply them within the text analysis. They also understand the characteristics and specifics of chosen literary genres and singular texts. They are able to assess them critically regarding to their interpretative value. They dispose of an overview of the relevant secondary literature of both Czech and foreign origin. |
| Prerequisites |
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General knowledge of medieval and early modern history.
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| Assessment methods and criteria |
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Essay, Student performance
Assessment requirements: - Active participation in seminars. - Written assessment: a final test; alternatively, an oral colloquium. - Continuous completion of assigned tasks throughout the semester. - Preparation for the credit assessment and the final examination. |
| Recommended literature |
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| Study plans that include the course |
| Faculty | Study plan (Version) | Category of Branch/Specialization | Recommended semester | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA25) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA20) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA25) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA24) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Arts | Study plan (Version): Euroculture (2023) | Category: Philosophy, theology | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA26) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Arts | Study plan (Version): History (2019) | Category: History courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA24) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA23) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA22) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA21) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Arts | Study plan (Version): Euroculture (2023_N24) | Category: Philosophy, theology | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA22) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA23) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Arts | Study plan (Version): History (2019) | Category: History courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA26) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Education | Study plan (Version): Teaching History for Secondary Schools and Higher Primary Schools (NA20) | Category: Pedagogy, teacher training and social care | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Arts | Study plan (Version): Euroculture (2023_S24) | Category: Philosophy, theology | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |
| Faculty: Faculty of Arts | Study plan (Version): History (2019) | Category: History courses | - | Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: - |