This course reads representative late nineteenth-century texts, which may include novels, short stories, plays, poetry, or even musical hall songs and pantomime. The aim is to situate these texts in a society that is still very much embedded in Victorian ideas and ideals but that is at the same time looking towards the twentieth century and its changing views of life, the world and literature. Course themes alongside the regular issues of class, race and gender may include: social changes, the changing subject, devolution, degeneration, the reading public and the publishing industry, genre and modality (romance,realism, aestheticism), ‘elite’ and ‘popular’ art, and others.
Timetable: Thursdays – 1.30-4.20pm (3 hrs)
|
Date |
Interactive Lecture 1.30-3.20 |
Tutorial (half of the class) 3.30-4.20 |
Assignment |
|
7 Sept |
Introduction |
|
|
|
14 Sept |
Tess of the D’Urbervilles |
Group 1: Reading 1 |
|
|
21 Sept |
Tess of the D’Urbervilles |
Group 2: Reading 1 |
Response Paper 1 due (21 Sept) |
|
28 Sept |
Tess of the D’Urbervilles |
Group 1: Reading 2 |
|
|
5 Oct |
‘Scandal in Bohemia’ |
Group 2: Reading 2 |
Response Paper 2 due (5 Oct) |
|
12 Oct |
‘Scandal in Bohemia’ |
Group 1: Argument |
|
|
19 Oct |
no class (READING WEEK) |
|
|
|
26 Oct |
The Picture of Dorian Gray |
Group 2: Argument |
Response Paper 3 due (26 October) |
|
2 Nov |
The Picture of Dorian Gray |
Group 1: Writing |
|
|
9 Nov |
The Picture of Dorian Gray |
Group 2: Writing |
Response Paper 4 due (9 November) |
|
16 Nov |
Music Hall, Pantomime |
|
|
|
23 Nov |
Conclusion |
|
|
|
24-30 Nov |
individual consultations (by appointment) |
Term Paper due (30 November) |
|
Roughly every fortnight during the semester will you write a 300-400 word reflection or response paper (i.e., a total of 4 response papers over the semester). Some of these will be guided; others will be shaped by you. The aim is to keep you writing throughout the semester. Consider these exercise little ‘homeworks’ that can either look forward in the course (inspiring you to discuss a text we have not yet dealt with in class) or backward (thinking further about some topics discussed). I will mark these papers from week to week so that you always have an idea of where you stand in terms of assessment. Late submission will be penalized.
The term paper requires a sustained, critical engagement with a particular topic. Essay questions will be handed out after Reading Week. Essays should run to about 1,800 words (plus/minus 10%; everything above or below will be marked down). Late submission will be penalized.
Note that you will get a grade for participation, which amount to 15% of the total grade, so I expect quite a lot of work and participation from you!
Assessment is thus by 100% coursework, consisting of:
- Writing Assignments 1: 4 reflection papers of 300-400 words each (40%, i.e. 10% per paper)
- Writing Assignment 2: term paper of about 1,800 words (45%)
- Oral Contributions: 15%
We will read the following works in this course, and you are expected to get a hold of copies of these, either in hard copy or as e-books. For the latter, check out the internet (Project Gutenberg, archive.org) which has all texts available in e-format.
Thomas Hardy, Tess of the D’Urbervilles, e.g. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/110
Arthur Conan Doyle, ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’, from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, e.g. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1661
Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, e.g. http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/174
If you buy copies of the novels, I recommend the Oxford World’s Classics edition which has good introductions and notes. Please start reading the texts over the summer.
For the session on the Music Hall Song and the Victorian Pantomime, readings will be provided.
Course learning outcomes:
- To gain information on and an understanding of the origins and historical debate over the high-low paradigm
- To generate close readings of literary texts (e.g. learn about description vs. dialogue; modality and genre; modes of characterisation; literary devices…)
- To write, in stages, a critical essay (e.g. learn to identify a topic, method and focus; structure an argument; employ critical frameworks and concepts; use secondary sources)