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Comparative Literature

Code: 100271
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Art History FB 1
Musicology FB 1
Catalan Philology: Literary Studies and Linguistics FB 1
Spanish Language and Literature FB 1
English Studies FB 1
English and Catalan Studies FB 1
English and Spanish Studies FB 1
Catalan and Spanish Studies FB 1
English and French Studies FB 1
English and Classics Studies FB 1

Contact lecturer

Name :
Pere Ballart Fernandez
Email :
pere.ballart@uab.cat

Teaching staff

María José Vega Ramos
Patricia Garcia Garcia
Antonio Penedo Picos
Pere Ballart Fernandez
David Roas Deus

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

Since the students have duely given evidence of having acquired the basic competences of the subject, they will need to be able to express properly their ideas both in oral and in written form. Spelling mistakes will be marked down. Coursework will have to be original work and plagiarism either partial or total will be penalised with a failure (0) in the final assessment. The students are expected to be acquainted with the basic rules of academic language and presentation, and also follow the instructions and conventions indicated by the teacher.

Objectives

The course is a general introduction to the study of literary works from a theoretical and comparative perspective, and it makes available to its students a selection of the most appropriate concepts and procedures for the analysis and interpretation of the literary text mainly in an immanent sense, namely, regardless of its historical circumstance and national differences. The reflection on problems related to the definition of the nature of the literary work will be completed, in the second part of the program, by a characterization of its main generic varieties (poetry, narrative and drama), and a study of the conventions that in each case determine their reading, understanding and evaluation.

Learning outcomes

  1. Using suitable terminology when drawing up an academic text.
  2. Identifying and explaining the basic structures of literary works.
  3. Identifying the relationships of literature with history, art or other cultural movements.
  4. Identifying the key elements of the Western culture from the 19th century to the present.
  5. Identifying and explaining the basic characteristics of literary texts.
  6. Identifying and explaining the basic structures of the interpretation process.
  7. Applying different analytical tools to several types of literary works.
  8. Commenting on literary texts, applying the acquired tools and taking into account the historical and sociocultural context.
  9. Critically interpreting literary works taking into account the relationships between the different areas of literature and its relationships with human, artistic and social areas.
  10. Solving problems about writers, methods and currents of comparative literature, connecting them with knowledge of other humanistic disciplines.
  11. Assessing the results related to the argumentation about several issues and literary problems for the purpose of several works.
  12. Arguing about several issues and literary problems for the purpose of different works and the assessment of the results.
  13. Use the appropriate terminology in the construction of an academic text.
  14. Commenting on literary texts, applying the acquired tools and taking into account the historical and sociocultural context.
  15. Identifying the key elements of the Western culture from the 19th century to the present.
  16. Identifying and explaining the basic characteristics of literary texts.
  17. Identifying and explaining the basic structures of the interpretation process.
  18. Applying different analytical tools to several types of literary works.
  19. Arguing about several issues and literary problems for the purpose of different works and assessing the results.
  20. Assessing the results related to the argumentation about several issues and literary problems for the purpose of several works.
  21. Commenting on literary texts, applying the acquired tools and taking into account the historical and sociocultural context.
  22. Identifying and explaining the basic structures of the interpretation process.
  23. Identifying the key elements of the Western culture from the 19th century to the present.
  24. Critically interpreting literary works taking into account the relationships between the different areas of literature and its relationships with human, artistic and social areas.
  25. Solving problems about writers, methods and currents of comparative literature, connecting them with knowledge of other humanistic disciplines.
  26. Use the appropriate terminology when writing an academic text.
  27. Argue a case regarding several literary topics and problems arising from different works and evaluate the results.
  28. Identify the relationships between literature and history, art and other cultural movements.
  29. Identify the key elements of Western cultural tradition from the 19th century to the present day.
  30. Identify and explain the basic characteristics of literary texts.
  31. Identify and explain the basic characteristics of the interpretation process.
  32. Apply the various instruments of analysis to different types of literary works.
  33. Comment on literary texts, using the instruments acquired, with regard to the historical, social and cultural context.
  34. Critically interpret literary works, taking into account the relationships between the different areas within literature and their relationship to humanistic, artistic and social areas.
  35. Resolve tasks on authors, methods and trends in comparative literature by drawing on knowledge of other humanistic disciplines.
  36. Evaluate, with regard to different works, the results of reasoned argument on various literary topics and problems.
  37. Critically interpreting literary works taking into account the relationships between the different areas of literature and its relationships with human, artistic and social areas.
  38. Solving problems about writers, methods and currents of comparative literature, and connecting them with knowledge of other humanistic disciplines.
  39. Arguing about several issues and literary problems for the purpose of different works and the assessment of the results.
  40. Identifying the key elements of the Western culture from the 19th century to the present.
  41. Identifying and explaining the basic characteristics of literary texts.
  42. Identify and explain the basic characteristics of the interpreting process.
  43. Applying different analytical tools to several types of literary works.
  44. Commenting on literary texts, applying the acquired tools and taking into account the historical and sociocultural context.
  45. Evaluate the result with the argumentation on different topics and literary problems with regard to different works.
  46. Write text commentaries based on comparative criticism.
  47. Undertake readings according to the literary genre of a work.
  48. Discern the sex/gender factor in the configuration of the literary canon.
  49. Write text commentaries from a critical standpoint.
  50. Identify the relationship between literature and history, art or other cultural movements.
  51. Identify the key elements of the Western cultural tradition from the 19th century to the present day.
  52. Identify and explain the basic characteristics of the process of interpretation.
  53. Apply the different instruments of analysis to different types of literary works.
  54. Comment on literary texts, applying the instruments acquired, taking into account the historical and socio-cultural context.
  55. Critically interpret literary works taking into account the relationships between the different fields of literature and their relationship with human, artistic and social areas.
  56. Evaluate the results related to the argumentation of various literary themes and problems in relation to different works.
  57. Solve tasks on authors and currents of comparative literature, relating knowledge of other human disciplines.
  58. Argue on various literary themes and problems in relation to different works and evaluate the results.
  59. Apply the specific concepts of literary theory to analyse texts.
  60. Distinguish the sex/gender factor in the configuration of the literary canon.
  61. Identifying main and supporting ideas and expressing them with linguistic correctness.
  62. Maintain an attitude of respect for the opinions, values, behaviors and practices of others.
  63. Synthesise information obtained from distinct sources, problematise a topic, and structure the information in a relevant way in oral and written presentations adapted to the audience.
  64. Produce an essay (or similar) respecting the ethical aspects related to the authorship of ideas and the diversity of opinions.
  65. Identify relationships between literature and history, art and other cultural movements.
  66. Identify relationships between literature and history, art and other cultural movements.
  67. Identify and explain the basic features of literary texts
  68. Identify and explain the basic features of the interpretation process.
  69. Demonstrate knowledge of topics related to the study of literature and its methods of analysis.
  70. Apply different instruments of analysis to different types of literary work.
  71. Comment on literary texts, applying the instruments acquired and considering the historical and sociocultural context.
  72. Evaluar los resultados relacionados con la argumentación sobre varios temas y problemas literarios a propósito de obras distintas.
  73. Solve problems about authors and currents of comparative literature, connecting them with knowledge of other humanistic disciplines.
  74. Use suitable terminology when drawing up an academic text.
  75. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures governing English literature.
  76. Use the English language with appropriate expression (correctness, fluency, pronunciation, communicative strategies) in both formal (presentations, debates, formal interactions) and informal (conversational) contexts, at proficient-user level C1.
  77. Express oneself in English, orally and in writing, in an academic register, using terminology appropriate to the study of distinct genres of modern and contemporary English literature.
  78. Write short argumentative essays or textual commentaries in English at Advanced User level (C1) on topics related to modern and contemporary English literature.
  79. Give oral presentations in English at Advanced User level (C1) on topics related to nineteenth-and twentieth-century English literature.
  80. Participate in face-to-face and virtual debates in Englishat Advanced User level (C1) on topics related to modern and contemporary English literature.
  81. Solve problems related to the study of different literatures.
  82. Explaining the basic characteristics of comparative literary texts.
  83. Analyse and interpret (in an introductory way) modern and contemporary literary texts in English.
  84. Distinguish principal ideas from secondary ideas and synthesise their content in modern and contemporary literary texts in English.
  85. Write text commentaries from the view of comparative criticism.
  86. Distinctiate and assemble the basic critical bibliography that makes up the field of study of a work or author of French-language literature.
  87. Present arguments and evaluate the relevance of the analysis of a linguistic, literary or cultural phenomenon.
  88. Applying the acquired scientific and work planning methodologies to the research in English.
  89. Locate and organise relevant English-language information available on the Internet, through databases and in libraries.
  90. Produce works in which the fundamental digital and bibliographic tools for the field of study are applied.
  91. Identify the key elements of the Western cultural tradition from the nineteenth century to the present
  92. Assess the results related to the argumentation about several issues and literary problems for the purpose of several works.
  93. Identifying and explaining the basic structures of the interpretation process.
  94. Solve tasks about authors and currents of comparative literature, relating knowledge of other human disciplines.
  95. Assessing the results related to the argumentation about several issues and literary problems for the purpose of several works.
  96. Apply different analytical tools to several types of literary works.
  97. Comment on literary texts, apply the acquired tools and take into account the historical and sociocultural context.
  98. Critically interpret literary works take into account the relationships between different areas of literature and its relationships with human, artistic and social areas.
  99. Argue about several issues and literary problems for the purpose of different works and the assessment of the results.
  100. Solve problems about writers, methods and currents of comparative literature, connecting them with knowledge of other humanistic disciplines.

Contents

I. LITERARY STUDIES AND THEIR DISCIPLINES


0. An aesthetic approach to the literary phenomenon


1. The place of theory of literature and comparative literature in literary research.


II. THE LITERARY SYSTEM


2. The notion of "literature".


3. Literary communication: author, text, reader, context.


4. Intertextuality.


5. Literary genres.


III. GENRES, FORMS AND TOPICS


6. Poetry


7. Narrative.


8. Drama.


IV. THE LITERARY TRADITION AND THE CANON


9. The "classics". Tradition and modernity. The notion of canon.


Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Programmed tutorials 15 0.6 7, 8, 9
Autonomous work 75 3 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 81, 82, 85, 87, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100
Master classes and sessions of seminars and practices led by the teaching staff 52.5 2.1 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 81, 82, 85, 87, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100

The subject combines the format of the master class, always on the basis of the theoretical texts, with the seminar to discuss creation texts, in which the student's collaboration is necessary. Periodically, students will be invited to perform several exercises (from the review to the monographic work) on certain aspects of the syllabus.


The learning of this subject by the students is distributed as follows:


Directed activities (35%). These activities are divided into master classes and seminars and classroom practices led by the faculty, in which theoretical explanation is combined with discussion of all types of texts.

Supervised activities (10%). These tutorials are programmed by the teacher, dedicated to correcting and commenting on problems at different levels of literary analysis.

Autonomous activities (50%). These activities include both time devoted to individual study and production of papers and analytical comments written, as well as oral presentations.

Evaluation activities (5%). The evaluation of the subject will be carried out through written tests.


15 minutes of a class will be set aside, within the calendar established by the center/degree, for students to complete the evaluation surveys of the teachers' performance and the evaluation of the subject.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Commentary of text in the classroom 40% 1.5 0.06 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100
Analysis and discussion of theoretical texts on the subject and application of its methodological and conceptual principles 20% 4.5 0.18 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100
Theory exam in the classroom 40% 1.5 0.06 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100

According to a continuous conception of evaluation, students must adopt the skills achievement of the course through the elaboration of two mandatory final exams with a proportional value of 40% each: a theoretical one, with questions of a thematic nature, and another practical, focused on the commentary of specific texts. The remaining 20% may be obtained as a result of a practical, written, literary analysis and interpretation exercise (genre to be determined), which will be requested mid-semester. Also, the final grade may be susceptible to an upward correction, as long as the student has actively participated in the sessions of the course.


Students will obtain a Not assessed/Not submitted course grade unless they have submitted more than 30% of the assessment items. Only students who have been previously evaluated in a set of activities whose weight is equivalent to a minimum of 2/3 of the total grade and who have obtained a minimum grade of 3.5 in the average of the course can be submitted to the recovery of the course. This one will take place at the end of the semester and will consist of a single test, on the basis of the previously failed exam(s). On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle or e-mail) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.


In the event of a student committing any irregularity that may lead to a significant variation in the grade awarded to an assessment activity, the student will be given a zero for this activity, regardless of any disciplinary process that may take place. In the event of several irregularities in assessment activities of the same subject (copy, unauthorized use of AI, etc.), the student will be given a zero as the final grade for this subject.


This subject entirely prohibits the use of AI technologies in all of its activities. Any submitted work that contains content generated using AI will be considered academic dishonesty; the corresponding grade will be awarded a zero, without the possibility of reassessment. In cases of greater infringement, more serious action may be taken.


SINGLE ASSESSMENT

This module does not use the single assessment system.

Bibliography

BIBLIOGRAPHY


ABELLAN, Joan; BALLART, Pere; SULLÀ, Enric

1997 Introducció a la teoria de la literatura, Manresa, Angle Editorial.


AGUIAR E SILVA, Vítor Manuel de

1972 Teoría de la literatura, tr. Valentín García Yebra, Madrid, Gredos.


BALLART, Pere

1998 El contorn del poema, Barcelona Quaderns Crema, 1998 (versió espanyola: Barcelona, El Acantilado, 2005).

2023 Primera lliçó de literatura, Barcelona, Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat.


BERISTÁIN, Helena

1995 Diccionario de retórica y poética, Mèxic, Porrúa.


BRIOSCHI, Franco i DI GIROLAMO, Costanzo

1988 Introducción al estudio de la literatura, tr. Carlos Vaíllo, Barcelona, Ariel.


CESERANI, Remo

2004 Introducción a los estudios literarios, tr. David Roas, Barcelona, Crítica.


COMPAGNON, Antoine

2015 El demonio de la teoría. Literatura y sentido común, Barcelona, El Acantilado.


CULLER, Jonathan

2000 Breve introducción a la teoría literaria, tr. Gonzalo García, Barcelona, Crítica.


DOMÍNGUEZ CAPARRÓS, José

2009 Introducción a la Teoría Literaria, Madrid, UNED.


EAGLETON, Terry

1988 Una introducción a la teoría literaria, tr. José Esteban Calderón, Mèxic, FCE.

2013 El acontecimiento de la literatura, Barcelona, Península.


ESTÉBANEZ CALDERÓN, Domingo

1996 Diccionario de términos literarios, Madrid, Alianza Editorial.


FELSKI, Rita

2008 Uses of Literature, Oxford, Blackwell.


GRILLO TORRES, María Paz

2004 Compendio de teoría teatral, Madrid, Biblioteca Nueva.


KING, Stephen

2018 Escriure. Memòries d'un ofici, Barcelona, L'Altra Editorial.


LODGE, David

1998 L’art de la ficció, tr. Montserrat Lunati i Jordi Larios, Barcelona, Empúries.


MEDEL, Elena

2018 Todo lo que hay que saber sobre poesía, Barcelona, Ariel.


NÚÑEZ RAMOS, Rafael

1992 La poesía, Madrid, Síntesis.


PAVIS,Patrice

1980 Diccionario del teatro, tr. Fernando de Toro, Barcelona, Paidós, 1999.


SULLÀ, Enric (ed.)

1985 Poètica de la narració, Barcelona, Empúries.


VILLANUEVA, Darío (coord.)

1994 Curso de teoría de la literatura, Madrid, Taurus.

2016 Lo que Borges enseñó a Cervantes. Una introducción a la literatura comparada, Madrid, Taurus.


WELLEK, René i WARREN, Austin

1979 Teoría literaria, tr. José Mª Gimeno, Madrid, Gredos.


WOOD, James

2009 Los mecanismos de la ficción. Cómo se construye una novela, tr. Ana Herrera, Madrid, Gredos.

Software

The course will not have any specific computer requirements.

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 English first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 English first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 2 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 2 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 3 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 3 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 4 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 4 Spanish first semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 5 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 5 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 6 Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 6 Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 7 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 7 Catalan/Spanish second semester morning-mixed