What do we mean when we speak of ‘Wales’ and ‘Welshness’? How does the study of literary texts help us to answer such questions? Drawing on a wide range of texts this course explores the ways in which Welsh national identity has been described and represented, before going on to explore other kinds of communal identities that have been equally prominent in the ways in which the Welsh have thought of themselves and envisaged their place in the world. The course is arranged thematically, as follows:

1. The Organic Nation. Matthew Arnold, On the Study of Celtic Literature Saunders Lewis, ‘Is there and Anglo-Welsh Literature?’ R.S. Thomas, Cymru or Wales? Emyr Humphreys, Conversations and Reflections David Jones, Selected Writings

2. The Nation Invented and Imagined Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger, The Invention of Tradition Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities Raymond Williams, Who Speaks for Wales? Richard Llewellyn, How Green Was My Valley Ed Thomas, House of America

3. Language Ned Thomas, The Welsh Extremist Menna Elfyn and John Rowlands eds, The Bloodaxe Book of Modern Welsh Poetry Tony Conran, Castles and Welsh Verse Afshan Malik, Safar

4. Religion Rhys Davies, The Withered Root Emyr Humphreys, Outside the House of Baal R.S. Thomas, Selected Poems

5. GenderJane Aaron, A View Across the Valley: Stories by Women from Wales 1850 – 1950 Katie Gramich ed., Welsh Women’s Poetry 1460 – 2001

6. Class Idris Davies, Gwalia Deserta Christopher Meredith, Shifts

7. Ethnicity Dannie Abse, Ash on a Young Man’s Sleeve Trezza Azzopardi, The Hiding Place

8. Retrospective Overview

Intended Learning Outcomes:

• a grasp of contemporary theories of nationalism and national identity
• an ability to read the ways in which forms of nationhood are reproduced, constructed and challenged in literary texts
• an ability to apply, and to discuss the merits, of several different approaches to literature
• a broad awareness of literary and cultural developments in modern Wales
• a sensitivity to significant differences in cultural identities

Transferable skills:

Students should become more proficient in:

• critical discernment and analytical grasp of theoretical models and their application to texts and discourses
• verbal and written communication at advanced (postgraduate) level
• structured thought and analytical argument
• experience with team work, communication skills and presentation techniques

Main recommended texts: Final choice of texts for study will be determined, in part, by availability, since much of the work is out of print. The following list of texts is therefore indicative only:

Jane Aaron, A View Across the Valley: Stories by Women from Wales 1850 – 1950
Dannie Abse, Ash on a Young Man’s Sleeve
Benedict Anderson, Imagined Communities.
Trezza Azzopardi, The Hiding Place
Matthew Arnold, On the Study of Celtic Literature
Idris Davies, Gwalia Deserta
Rhys Davies, The Withered Root
Menna Elfyn and John Rowlands eds, The Bloodaxe Book of Modern Welsh Poetry
Katie Gramich ed., Welsh Women’s Poetry 1460 – 2001
Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger, The Invention of Tradition
Emyr Humphreys, Conversations and Reflections
Emyr Humphreys, Outside the House of Baal
Saunders Lewis, ‘Is there and Anglo-Welsh Literature?’
Richard Llewellyn, How Green Was My Valley
Afshan Malik, Safar
Christopher Meredith, Shifts
Ed Thomas, House of America
Ned Thomas, The Welsh Extremist
R.S. Thomas, Cymru or Wales?
Raymond Williams, Who Speaks for Wales?

Secondary Reading

A twelve-page bibliography, divided into sections, is issued for the MA in Welsh Writing in English. The attention of the student following this module will be drawn to the most immediately relevant texts.

Dylan Thomas and the Idea of Welsh Writing in English

Locating Wales: Comparative Perspectives

Women Writing Modern Wales

‘American Wales’: Writing the Transatlantic

Welsh Identities: literature and nationhood

Click here to read the CREW Bibliography