2010-2011 Academic Catalog

Feb 05, 2025

2010-2011 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

ENG 363 - British Romantic Literature: Race and Imperialism in Romanticism

Type of Course: Seminar

British Romantic Literature: Race and Imperialism in Romanticism/Seminar The period from the end of the 18th century to the mid-19th century was one of great expansion and empire building for England, but at what cost? In 1772, after the Mansfield Judgment proclaimed that England was “a soil whose air is deemed too pure for slaves to breathe in,” the issue of slavery, as well as the issue of British identity, became particularly contested. This course will examine issues of slavery and colonial rule, as well as the ideals of political and social freedom, through the narratives of former slaves; the texts of authors, such as Mary Shelley, Jane Austen, and Thomas De Quincey; and Romantic poetry. Through these works, we will look at the ways in which race and imperialism impacted attitudes towards Englishness during the period, in particular, notions of English womanhood. To understand the cultural context of race and imperialism, the course will incorporate post-colonial criticism, as well as cultural and historical documents. For undergraduate English majors this course satisfies the Period (C-2) requirement.

Cross Listed: ENG 263, RER 263, WS 263

Instructor: Ms. Kasmer

When Offered: Offered 2010-2011

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