2010-2011 Academic Catalog

Feb 05, 2025

2010-2011 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

ENG 362 - Studies in 19th-Century British Literature

Type of Course: Seminar/The Nineteenth-Century British Literature

The nineteenth-century British novel, the predominant literary form in mid-to-late nineteenth-century Britain, not only maintained cultural norms, but also upheld the value of the British Empire itself. With specific attention to both literary form and historical contexts, we will explore the ways in which the novel shaped and was shaped by nineteenth-century British culture, mired in emergent notions of psychology, the ‘woman question,’ and the issues of class and imperialism. By surveying both canonical novels, like Emily Bronte’s “Wuthering Heights” and Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations,” and non-canonical novels, we will place these works within the larger framework of the British literary tradition. Theories of the nineteenth-century novel as a popular and a complex form, and cultural critical studies will assist us in understanding the novel of this time-period. A student may take this seminar more than once, as long as the topic for the course is different. For undergraduate English majors, this course satisfies the Period (C-2) requirement.

Cross Listed: ENG 262, SCRN 262, WS 262

Instructor: Ms. Kasmer

When Offered: Offered every other year with different topics. Offered 2010-2011.

Faculty: Lisa Kasmer, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor of English