Classical Malay Literature

Synopsis

MLL352 Classical Malay Literature aims to allow students to appreciate and understand the dominant corpus in the Malay literary tradition, which was produced and disseminated before the end of the 19th century. Various styles of thinking and styles of writings will be compared. The module frames the discussion in a sociological-historical perspective thereby enabling students to be able to read literary texts from a critical standpoint. This course dovetails with our existing course MLL311 Jawi and Malay Literature.

Level: 3
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: Every July

Topics

Introduction: Textual and Contextual Affinity in Malay Literary Tradition
Introduction to Court Text
The Court Texts: Ideology and its Stylistic Finesse
Introduction to Classical Religious Texts
The Humanistic Voices in Ethico-religious Texts
The Mystical Tracts of the Sufi Tradition
Folk Wisdom in Classical Literature
Folk Wisdom in Oral Prose and Verse
Textual Traditions, Scholarship and Orientalism
Jawi in Classical Literature

Learning Outcome

Appraise the importance of reading classical Malay literature as an attempt to understand Malay culture and society. (B4)
Evaluate critically the texts and its social meanings and presence. (B6)
Apply the skills of reading critically of text vis-a-vis its context in a particular social group and historical period. (B3)
Discuss how the social grouping’s ideologies and aesthetical sense colour the literary works. (B2)
Determine the ways in which the readings of literary texts could give meaning to the existing interpretations and its counter views. (B3)
Analyse the values and thought as enjoined or objected as reflected and documented in literary texts. (B4)

Part-time Programmes / CET Courses

Singapore University of Social Sciences

Classical Malay Literature