This module is not currently running in 2024 to 2025.
This module gives students an opportunity to focus in depth on the work of one of the twentieth century's great writers, Vladimir Nabokov (1899-1977). Nabokov is famous for his scandalous novel Lolita, but this module will offer a broader, more comprehensive view of the author, tracking the development of his extraordinary literary oeuvre across five decades, three languages and multiple genres, reading his novels alongside a range of other forms, and studying film adaptations of his work. We will grasp Nabokov’s oeuvre in its transnational literary, biographical and historical contexts, from the Russian Revolution to Fascist Europe and Cold War America. Our guide in this journey will be Nabokov’s evolving idea of the creative imagination and its transformative power.
Private Study: 268 hours
Contact Hours: 32 hours
Total: 300 hours
Main assessment methods
Seminar participation (20%)
Written assignment (2000 words) (25%)
Final Project (4000 words or equivalent) (55%)
Reassessment methods
100% coursework
The University is committed to ensuring that core reading materials are in accessible electronic format in line with the Kent Inclusive Practices. The most up to date reading list for each module can be found on the university's reading list pages: https://kent.rl.talis.com/index.html
The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1. Show a detailed knowledge of Nabokov's work across a range of genres
2. Understand and respond to Nabokov's work in historical context
3. Understand and respond to Nabokov's work in relation to other literary work
4. Understand and respond to Nabokov's idea of the literary imagination in theory and practice
5. Understand and respond to the history of Nabokov scholarship
6. Reflect critically on the experience of reading Nabokov's work
The intended generic learning outcomes.
On successfully completing the module students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate the wider applicability of concepts and frameworks derived from studying Nabokov
2. Show a systematic understanding of a large body of literary work
3. Critically evaluate a range of approaches to literary study
4. Initiate and carry out an intellectual project
5. Articulate their responses to literary works with increased skill and confidence
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