Studying at York
Victorians: British Literature 1832-1901 - ENG00109I
Module summary
This module introduces students to Victorian writing in a wide range of genres, exploring the narratives, poetics, and debates of the period 1832-1901 as encounters with modernity and key points in the development of contemporary ideas of authorship and literature.
You will explore the literature of the Victorian era, a period at the same time culturally familiar and alien to 21st century readers. Victoria was on the throne from 1837 to 1901, though we go back a little earlier to the Reform Act of 1832 which set the stage for her reign. The module familiarizes students with major texts and ideas in Victorian literature, establishing a dialogue between more and less well-known and canonical texts.
Major concerns in the module include: the relationship between the most culturally powerful literary form, the novel, and other genres of writing; the changing concept of authorship and the growth of the figure of the professional author; and the relationship of the Victorian period to modernity, both its own modernity and that which came after it. The module addresses the responsiveness of Victorian writing to major currents in the history of ideas as well as to differing and changing social, economic, and geographical circumstances, via a series of questions and themes which cut across traditional categories and encourage students to challenge and move beyond familiar approaches and clichés.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2023-24 |
Module aims
The aim of this module is to explore British literature and culture of a key period in modern history, and to consider how the many social and political changes of the Victorian age—e.g. the rise of Empire, urbanization, changing sexual and gender identities—not only found expression in literature but altered fundamental ideas about writing and authorship.
Module learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module, you will be able to:
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Demonstrate an informed understanding of and engagement with a range of Victorian texts, literary movements and genres.
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Demonstrate an informed understanding of and engagement with some of the main social, cultural, political and economic contexts of Victorian writing.
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Examine key debates and relevant critical contexts.
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Develop oral and written arguments which demonstrate a proficiency in critical thinking and research skills.
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 70 |
| Essay/coursework | 30 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 70 |
| Essay/coursework | 30 |
Module feedback
- You will receive feedback on all assessed work within the University deadline, and will often receive it more quickly. The purpose of feedback is to inform your future work; it is designed to help you to improve your work, and the Department also offers you help in learning from your feedback. If you do not understand your feedback or want to talk about your ideas further you can discuss it with your tutor or your supervisor, during their Open Office Hours.
- For more information about the feedback you will receive for your work, see the department's Guide to Assessment.
Indicative reading
Key Texts for this module may include:
- Poetry, drama, and nonfiction from The Norton Anthology of English Literature, Vol. E.
- Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
- Tennyson, Selections from In Memoriam
- Rudyard Kipling, Kim
- George Eliot, The Lifted Veil
- Elizabeth Gaskell, The Old Nurse's Story
- Thomas Hardy, An Imaginative Woman
- Charles Dickens, Great Expectations