This unit contains mature content and may not be suitable for some students. Any student under the age of 16 who would like to enrol in this unit must first complete a Parental Consent Form.
Undergraduate | GRF-LTR110 | 2024
Dangerous Pleasures: An Introduction to Literary Studies
Course information for 2024 intake
View information for 2023 course intakeMeet one of literature’s most famous characters in Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre. Resurrect the story of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Journey into Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. Explore what makes these novels and more considered ‘literary’.
Enrol today with instant approval and no entry requirements
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed,
- No prior study
- Duration
- 13 weeks
Price from
$555
Upfront cost
$0
HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Dangerous Pleasures: An Introduction to Literary Studies
About this subject
At the completion of this subject you will have:
- a solid foundation for later subjects in Literary Studies
- an improved ability to read closely, carefully, and attentively and with ethical, imaginative and emotional engagement
- an improved ability to see continuities and discontinuities between past cultures (as embodied in the works studied) and contemporary culture
- an improved ability to think clearly and logically about literature-and to express those ideas with civility and courtesy in online discussions
- an improved ability to express critical appreciation of literature in clear, cogent, and well-constructed essays.
- Medea - love and marriage, revenge, gender roles, alienation, otherness
- Heart of Darkness - the nature of evil, alienation, race and colonisation
- Metamorphosis - humanity, hierarchy, postmodernism, vulnerability
- Jane Eyre - gender roles, alienation, love and marriage, class, vulnerability
- Frankenstein - medicalisation and science, the monstrous, parenthood, creation
This subject was previously known as Great Books.
Dangerous Pleasures: An Introduction to Literary Studies examines the allure of the literary. For centuries humans have recited poetry, enacted drama and, more recently, written novels that all speak to the human condition in ways that exceed the everyday even as they somehow capture it. In thematic terms this subjects asks: what does it mean to be human? What are the immortal themes that recur in any genre of great literature? In terms of readers' experiences of literature, what is it that makes a work 'literary'? How have people managed to express themselves in way that outlast the span of a single lifetime? What formal approaches have been taken to understanding and promoting 'the literary'. Perhaps most importantly of all, though, what does literature offer in a world full of images, a world apparently driven by economic issues. Join us to ponder upon such issues as you discover, or revisit, a fine range of literary texts.
- Essay 1 - 1000 words (20%)
- Essay 2 - 2000 words (40%)
- Online Discussion (40%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
With a network of campuses spanning three cities in South East Queensland, Griffith University is committed to progressive multidisciplinary teaching and research and a valuable online provider with Open Universities Australia. Already attracting students from over one hundred countries, Griffith's dedication to academic excellence is available across Australia through OUA.
Learn more about Griffith.
Explore Griffith courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 18
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 20
Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Study load
0.125 EFTSL
This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Student feedback
7 student respondents between 7 Feb - 22 Feb 2023.
100%of students felt the study load was manageable
85%of students felt this subject helped them gain relevant skills
Why study a single subject?
Bite sized study
Try studying a particular area to see if online study suits you, or upskill in just a few months with a single subject that you’re interested in.Pursue a dream
With thousands of single subjects to choose from, you can find topics that get you on the path to your higher education goals fast.Gain Uni credit
Most single subjects are part of a full degree. That means if you’re keen to keep learning, you can gain credit for the subjects you’ve successfully completed.What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Undergraduate
GRF-ART-DEGSingle subject FAQs
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
First, find the degree that you would like to study on our website.
If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
Our student advisors are here to help you take that next step, so don’t hesitate to reach out when you’re ready! We’ve also made it easier to figure out the right way to get started on our pathways page.
Our student advisors are more than happy to help you plan your online study. Get in touch with an advisor by:
You can pay up front with your credit card, or you may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government depending on your citizenship status and where you’ll live during your studies.
For more information about how to pay for your studies visit our fees page or contact a student advisor.
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Enrol now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions .
Close of enrolment times vary between universities and subjects. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting key dates.