module specification

Romantics to Victorians is the first of a spine of historical modules running across all three levels of the English Literature programmes. Part 2 introduces students to the major transformations of English literature and culture during the mid-19th century. Through the study of literary and other primary texts of the period, the module provides a contextual introduction to the study of literature in the late modern period and related critical debates. The module is taught in weekly sessions and is assessed by a series of written coursework pieces.

The module aims to familiarise students with a range of literary material from the 1840s to the 1880s; to relate the thematic concerns of literary works to an historical account of social, political and cultural developments within the given period; to develop students’ ability to analyse and write critically about literary texts; and to develop students’ critical and creative responses to the legacies of Victorian literature.

N/A

The module will explore a range of historical and social topics, led primarily through the close thematic analysis of literary texts by major novelists and poets of the period, such as Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens, Alfred Lord Tennyson. Topics will include, for example, industrialisation and urbanisation; science, materialism and religion; Gothic and novelistic realism; the growth of Empire. (LO1, LO3)

The module will provide opportunities for students to make connections across the period and to reflect on the legacies of Victorianism for literature and culture today. (LO2) This will include an introduction to the contemporary publishing and bookselling scene as a context for understanding the relevance of literary heritage to the making and promotion of literature today. The module will also incorporate an ongoing induction to core academic skills such as note-taking, close reading, essay-writing, and referencing. (LO4)

Scheduled teaching ensures that independent study is effective and addresses the learning outcomes and assessment tasks. Students are expected to, and have the opportunity to, continue with their studies outside of scheduled classes. There will be a range of learning strategies deployed and individual learning styles will be accommodated. The module’s learning outcomes, its contents and delivery, have been scrutinised and will be regularly reviewed to ensure an inclusive approach to pedagogic practice.

The module and course utilise the University’s blended learning platform to support and reinforce learning, to foster peer-to-peer communication and to facilitate tutorial support for students. Reflective learning is promoted through assessment items and interim formative feedback points that ask students to reflect on their progress, seek help where they identify the opportunity for improvement in learning strategies and outcomes, and make recommendations to themselves for future development. Throughout the module, students build a body of work, including reflections on progress and achievement.

The School’s programme of employability events and embedded work-related learning within the curriculum supports students’ personal development planning. Through these initiatives, students are increasingly able, as they progress from year to year, to understand the professional environment of their disciplines, the various opportunities available to them, and how to shape their learning according to their ambitions.

On successful completion of the module students will be able to:

Knowledge and understanding
LO1 identify major themes of the literature of the period 1840 to 1880;

Cognitive intellectual abilities
LO2 reflect critically and creatively on the legacies of Victorian literature in the contemporary world;

LO3 situate and critically discuss imaginative literature in relation to its social, political, historical and intellectual contexts;

Subject-specific skills
LO4 demonstrate skills in the close analysis of literary texts and the production of formal academic writing.

Summative assessments will be spaced across the year and consist of written coursework. Assignments will require students to show skills of contextualisation, close reading and thematic analysis. Assessment will also include an option to produce a creative piece.

Core textbooks:
David, D. (ed.), (2012) The Cambridge Companion to the Victorian Novel, 2nd ed., Cambridge University Press
Tucker, H. F., (2014) A New Companion to Victorian Literature and Culture, Wiley

Other textbooks:
Adams, J. E., (2009) A History of Victorian Literature, Wiley-Blackwell
Christ, C. T. and Robson, C. (eds), (2006) The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Volume E, The Victorian Age, 8th ed., W.W. Norton
James, J. (2006), The Victorian Novel, Blackwell
Levine, G. L., (2008) How to Read the Victorian Novel, Blackwell
Spooner, C. and McEvoy, E. (eds), (2007) The Routledge Companion to Gothic, Routledge
Warwick, A. and Willis, M. (eds.), (2008) The Victorian Literature Handbook, Continuum

Journals:
Victorian Literature and Culture
Victorian Studies

Websites:
Victorian Web http://www.victorianweb.org/

Electronic Databases:
Academic Search Complete
JSTOR

Other:
Box of Broadcasts
Credo Reference Academic