Victorian Literature - Syllabus - PDF
Victorian Literature - Syllabus - PDF
Victorian Literature - Syllabus - PDF
Time map
Week : Victorian En!land and t"e spirit o# t"e a!e The political and social bac'ground of Victorian England. The (ndustrial )e"olution and aftermath. *ueen Vic! toria and the )oyal +amily. ,cientific disco"eries, economic progress and prosperity- the .reat E$hibition of /01/2 real access to culture and education- public system of instruction, publication of cheap editions, seriali%a! tion, lending libraries2 the modern newspaper. (nadequacy, po"erty, unemployment and social unrest- the 3ungry +orties, the system of warehouses, the 4eople&s 5harter. The cultural bac'ground and the spirit of the age. +orm! ati"e theories- 6tilitarianism and 7arwinism. The crisis of belief. The tendencies of the age- discipline, reason and balance, and restlessness, di"ergence and reno"ation. The fin-de-sicle spirit. $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- (ndustrial )e"olution, 6tilitarianism, 7arwinism, laissez faire, 3ungry +orties, wor'houses, 5hartist 8o"ement, the Peoples Charter. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- )adu (1!0), +ord (19!//9), #augh (/:;9!0<, /==0!1=), .alea (9!1>). Week 2: T"e mec"anics o# Victorian literature The literature of the age as meeting ground for traditionalism and modernism. The no(el as the dominant Vic! torian literary genre- critical realism, chronological construction of the plot, serialisation, modes of representa! tion. +orms of Victorian no"els (cf. #a'htin)- the monologic (7ic'ens, Eliot, 3ardy) and dialogic (Thac'eray ? partially, E. #ront@) form. The alternati"e ending (7ic'ens). Aarrati"e techniques- omniscience (5h. 7ic'ens, B. 8. Thac'eray- Vanity Fair), 5h. #ront@- Shirley, .. Eliot), /st person narration and the pseudo!autobio! graphy (5h. #ront@- Jane Eyre), effects of using narrators (E. #ront@), the combined technique- /st person and >rd person narration (5h. 7ic'ens- Bleak House), omniscience and narrators (5h. #ront@- Shirley). 5h. #ront@&s and B. 8. Thac'eray&s omniscience and implied readers. The self!refle$i"e te$t (Thac'eray). 7irections in Vic! torian poetr%- restraint of mind and obedience of form, poetry and 6tilitarianism, marginalisation and elitism, continuators and inno"ators, the problem of content and form, Victorian genres- the idyll and the dramatic mono! logue (Tennyson and #rowning). $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- critical realism, chronology, serialisation, instalments, omniscience, partial omniscience, desacralisation of the omniscient author, autobiography, narrator, implied reader, self!refle$i"e te$t, neo!classicism, elitism, idyll, dramatic monologue, monodrama, allegory. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- ()adu (/C!/1), ,hires in 7a"id (</!;<), +lint in 7eirdre (/;!><), +raser in #ristow (//=!><), 4earsall in #ristow (<;!00), 8acsiniuc (:;!=0),. Te)ts- 7ic'ens- reat E!pectations- Estella ()adu =:)2 5h. #ront@- Shirley- The )iot ()adu =0)2 .. Eliot- "he #ill on the +loss- 7orlcote 8ill ()adu 9/)2 Thac'eray- Vanity Fair- The 8anager of the 4erformance ()adu 1/), 4ri"ate and 5onfidential ()adu 1:), 3istory and Vanities (1;). Week *: T"e #rame o# mind T"omas Carl%le- the lesson of history and the epic in prose, didacticism "s. docudrama, "itality of presentation and cinematic technique ("he French $e%olution and &n Heroes the credit of power and leadership, the hero as di"inely appointed 8essiah' a"atars of the hero (Hero-(orship and the Heroic in History). Matt"e& Arnoldthe condition of the critic, education and the goals of poetry (DThe +unction of 5riticism at the 4resent Time& and
Victorian Eiterature- ,yllabus DThe ,tudy of 4oetry&), society and awareness, the role of culture and education (Culture and )narchy). +o"n Ruskin- mannerism "s. natural world and representation, greatness in art (#odern Painters), morality and the idea of moral art, return to Aature and natural forms, "isionary ecologism ("he Stones of Venice and "he Se%en *a+ps of )rchitecture). $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- docudrama, cinematic technique, 7i"ine Fustice, hero, 8essiah, 3ebraism, 3ellenism, #arbarians, 4hilistines, 4opulace, art and "irtue, morality and moral art, .othic, ecologism. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- )adu (9!/C, /<, :/, /1/), +ord (19!//9, :9=!>C0, >C9!:>), #augh (/:;9!0<, />C9!:/, /=/:!1=), (.alea (9!1>), Te)ts- Thomas 5arlyle- "he French $e%olution ()adu /;!/0), 8athew rnold- Culture and )narchy ()adu /11!<), Fohn )us'in- #odern Painters ()adu :=). Week ,: Late romanticism and neo-classicism: Matt"e& Arnold and Al#red Tenn%son )omanticism "s. reason, discipline and balance. Matt"e& Arnold- neo!classicism and the poetry of meditation (D7o"er #each&). Al#red Tenn%son- the disciplined and rational romantic2 e$istential dilemmas, the condition of the poet, acti"ism "s. retreat (DThe 4alace of rt& and DThe Eady of ,halott&)2 e$istence "s. life, commitment "s. withdrawal (DThe Eotos Eaters& and D6lysses&)2 the heroic e$pectation and the Victorian mould2 the English idyll (,dylls of the -in.- DThe 4assing of rthur&)2 the significance of life and death (,n #e+oria+ and D5rossing the #ar&). $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- neo!classicism, eclogue, meditation, loss of faith, pastoral elegy, English idyll, acti"ism, withdrawal, condition of the poet, monodrama, allegory. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- +ord (::;!==), 7aiches (991!/CC:), #augh (/>0:!9/), 8acsiniuc (/C>!:=, =9! ;>), ()adu (/1/, //9). Te)ts- 8atthew rnold- D7o"er #each& ()adu /1:)2 lfred Tennyson- DThe 4assing of rthur& ()adu />>!=), ,n #e+oria+- EV( (D,o careful of the typeG& but no.&) ()adu />/)2 D5rossing the #ar&()adu />1). Week .: T"e dramatic monolo!ue: Ro'ert Bro&nin! The dominance of the dramatic monologue as Victorian form2 types of dramatic monologue (with H without an interlocutor)2 the search for objecti"ity. Ro'ert Bro&nin!- holy orders and worldly "anities (D,oliloquy of the ,panish 5loister& and DThe #ishop Irders 3id Tomb&)2 the dimensions of the artist (D+rJ Eippo Eippi& and D n! drea del ,arto&)2 the condition of the woman (D8y East 7uchess& and D4orphyria&s Eo"er&)2 "erisimilitude and the challenge of the multiple point of "iew ("he $in. and the Book). $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- dramatic monologue, soliloquy, crisis of belief, "erisimilitude, the multiple point of "iew. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- 4earsall in #ristow (<;!00), +ord (:=1!11), 7aiches (/CC:!;), 8acsiniuc (;1! /CC), )adu (/>1!<). Te)ts- )obert #rowning- D,oliloquy of the ,panish 5loister& ()adu />9), D8y East 7uchess& ()adu />;), D4orphyria&s Eo"er& ()adu /=:). Week /: 0re-Rap"aelitism and a#termat": Dante 1a'riel Rossetti and Al!ernon C"arles 2&in'urne 7i"ergence and reno"ation2 the need for reju"enation and )omanticism reloaded. T"e 0re-Rap"aelite Mo(ement and the re!disco"ery of early medie"alism. The search for detail, colour and form in painting and poetry. Dante 1a'riel Rossetti, sensuality and tone ("he House of *ife- DAuptial ,leep&), painting and poetry (DThe #lessed 7amo%el&). Al!ernon C"arles 2&in'urne- pagan beauty and forbidden joys (DThe Triumph of Time&, DThe .arden of 4roserpine&, D7olores&). $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- medie"alism, mannerism and natural representation, prosody, assonance, alliteration, repetition. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- l'alay!.ut in #ristow (::0!:1=), #augh (/=::!>, /=:/!<), +ord (0;!9>, >1:!;C, >1>!;=, 9C!>), 8acsiniuc (/:1!=;), )adu (/:!/>, /<>!=). Te)ts- 7. .. )ossetti- DAuptial ,leep& ()adu /<C), KThe #lessed 7amo%el& (/</!>)2 ,winburne- DThe Triumph of Time& ()adu /<9!;C). Week 3: T"e prosodic reno(ation: 1erard Manle% 4opkins Al!ernon C"arles 2&in'urne- Te$tual music and poetic patterns of aural representation and effects2 content "s. form. 1erard Manle% 4opkins/ )eligious dogma, .od and power, the redisco"ery of form and new prosodic :
Victorian Eiterature- ,yllabus techniques- Dinscape&, Dinstress& and Dsprung rhythm&2 the re!moulding of the language, obscurity and distorted synta$2 the a"atars of the 8essiah- DThe ,tarlight Aight&, DThe Bindho"er&2 e$istential dilemmas and the condi! tion of the cleric (D5arrion 5omfort&). $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- prosody, obscurity, re"elation, assonance, alliteration, repetition, inscape, instress, sprung rhythm. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- ,linn in #ristow (=<!<<), ,cheinberg in #ristow (/19!;9), 7aiches (/C=:!0), 8acsiniuc (/1/!<0), )adu (/9>!1). Te)ts- 3op'ins- DThe ,tarlight Aight& ()adu /9;), DThe Bindho"er& ()adu /90). Week 5: T"e condition o# En!land no(el: C"arles Dickens (ndustrial )e"olution and industrial culture. The industrial no"el (5h. 7ic'ens- Hard "i+es, 5h. #ront@- Shirley, E. .as'ell- 0orth and South, #. 7israeli- Sy1il). C"arles Dickens- 5ritical realism and entertainment, the com! edy of life2 Hard "i+es- (ndustrial re"olution and 6tilitarianism, the no"el of Dhard facts men&2 8rs .radgrind and the principles of 6tilitarianist education- methodology and effects, industrialism and ecology, 5o'etown as dystopic representation of the city. $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- condition of England, industrial re"olution, ecologism, 6tilitarianism, philosophy of facts, education. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- )adu (:<!0), llen (/19!;=), .alea (;>!00), +ord (/>1!;), 7aiches (/C=9!19). Te)ts- 5h. 7ic'ens- Hard "i+es (the whole no"el and the te$t e$tracts- )adu >/). Week 6: T"e "uman comed%: William Makepeace T"ackera% Vanity Fair- the fair, puppets and the show!master and the #a'htinian concept of carni"al and the Dgrotesque body&, typology of characters, the portrait of the upstart, games of lo"e and "anity, matrimony, inheritance and marital triangles- #ec'y and melia "s. )awdon 5rawley and .eorge Isborne, 7obbin, the odd man out2 the no"el Dwithout a hero&. 7ic'ens and Thac'eray and perspecti"es of character treatment. $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- ustarts, arri"ism, (partial) omniscience, desacralisation, metafiction, self! refle$i"e te$t, history, story, fiction. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- )adu (1C!/), llen (/;=!0:), .alea (09!/C<), +ord (/=;!1>), 7aiches (/C19!<=). Te)ts- B. 8. Thac'eray- Vanity Fair (the whole no"el and the te$t e$tracts- )adu 1/). Week 7: T"e !ender de'ate: C"arlotte Bront8 The position of the woman and the need for emancipation and equality. +emale and feminine attitudes- the wo! man as writer and character. The e"olution of the cultural feminine identity (cf. ,howalter)- the feminine, femin! ist and the female stages). C"arlotte Bront8- Jane Eyre- romantic imagery and the new .othic2 the home as re! pressi"e space- the motif of the red room, the recurrent sequence of enclosure and escape, Eowood ,chool and Thornfield 3all as dominant habitats2 the comple$ of the Dmadwoman in the attic2&Fane&s initiatic life and e$peri! ence towards assertion of her own female self. Shirley- regionalism, economic troubles and historical e"ents, strategies of the omniscient writer, feminism and power. $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- feminism, passion, reason, Dred room&, enclosure and escape, the madwoman in the attic, the condition of the woman, regional no"el, first!person narration, autobiography. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- )adu (19!<C), llen (/0C!9C), .alea (//=!/:<), 7aiches (/C<=!<), +ord (:1<!0) Te)ts- 5h. #ront@- Jane Eyre (the whole no"el and the te$t e$tracts- )adu <C). Week : A(atars o# pro(incial li#e: 1eor!e Eliot
1. Eliot- #iddle+arch- ruralism and microcosm of English life in the pre!industrial age2 local community and social networ's2 omniscience, multiplot structure and gallery of characters2 feminism, female assertion and the woman&s condition, 7orothea #roo'e&s case- intellect "s. passion2 Tertius Eydgate and the intellectual tension2 "he #ill on the Floss- lights and shadows of brotherly lo"e, passion "s. social con"entions2 $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- ruralism, microcosm, condition of the woman, ,t Theresa, intellect, passion, structure, psychological no"el, en"ironment, unhistoric acts, social networ'. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- )adu (09!9C), llen (:>C!=), .alea (/=:!/<>), 7aiches (/C<<!;:), +ord (:;<!9>). Te)ts- .. Eliot- #iddle+arch (the whole no"el and the te$t e$tracts- )adu /CC).
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Victorian Eiterature- ,yllabus Week 2: T"e tempest in t"e soul: Emil% Bront8 (utherin. Hei.hts- the tempest in the soul, setting and cosmic order, condition of man and new cosmogony. The .ondal heroes re"isited- 5atherine and 3eathcliff ? a story of destructi"e lo"e and passion, 3eathcliff and the drama of the misfit. Buthering 3eights and Thrushcross .range- home or dwellings2 the setting as atemporal and non!dimensional space2 the threshold and the window as archetypes of crossing!o"er2 the after!life space. Aarrati"e technique- effects of using narrators. $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- myth, a!chronology, a!temporal space, interior time, disruption of chronology, multiple narrators, character narrator, enclosure, prison(er). Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- )adu (;/), llen (/9=!0), .alea (/:0!/=/), 7aiches (/C<=!<), +ord (:<C!;>) Te)ts- Emily #ront@- D)emembrance& ()adu ;/)2 (utherin. Hei.hts (the whole no"el and the te$t e$tracts- )adu ;>). Week *: T"e condition o# man: T"omas 4ard% The anti!Victorian reaction- beyond mechanicist and materialist standards. 7estiny and the tragic condition of man, .ree' drama and the principle of fate and predestination2 unity of space- Besse$, nature as correlati"e of the human mind and condition. "ess of the d3r1er%illes- destiny and tragedy of human flaws. Tess, a Dpure wo! man& (G). Jude the &1scure and the conflict between flesh and spirit, instinct and ci"ilisation. $e%&ords and 'asic concepts- pessimism, fatalism, casualty, predestination, (mmanent Bill, fate, #lind 7estiny, Besse$, (ancient) tragedy, catharsis, sacrifice, nature symbolism, flesh, spirit. Critical 'i'lio!rap"%- )adu (/;/!>), .alea (/0C!:C/), 7aiches (/C;>!0:), +ord (=C<!/9), #augh (/=<=! ;=). Te)ts- Th. 3ardy- "ess of the d3r1er%illes (the whole no"el and the te$t e$tracts- )adu /0C). Week ,: 0resentation o# researc" pro9ects
Assessment
end!of!term e$amination
1eneral 'i'lio!rap"%
Literar% te)ts ny edition is accepted. The te$ts preceded by an asteris' (L) represent core reading. The te$ts assigned for class discussion can be found "he 0orton )ntholo.y and drian )adu, Te$t E$tracts (see abo"e). 8atthew rnold- LD7o"er #each&. lfred Tennyson - DThe 4alace of rt&, DThe Eady of ,halott&, DThe Eotos Eaters&, D6lysses&, D,dylls of the -in.LDThe 4assing of rthur&, ,n #e+oria+- LEV( (DD,o careful of the typeG& but no.&), LD5rossing the #ar&. )obert #rowning- D,oliloquy of the ,panish 5loister&, DThe #ishop Irders 3is Tomb&, D+rJ Eippo Eippi, D ndrea del ,arto& LD8y East 7uchess&, LD4orphyria&s Eo"er&. 7ante .abriel )ossetti- LDThe #lessed 7amo%el&, "he House of *ife- LDAuptial ,leep&. lgernon 5harles ,winburne- D7olores&, DThe .arden of 4roserpine&, LDThe Triumph of Time&. 5harles 8anley 3op'ins- DThe ,tarlight Aight&, LDThe Bindho"er&. 5harles 7ic'ens- LHard "i+es, Bleak House. Billiam 8. Thac'eray- LVanity Fair. 5harlotte #ront@ - LJane Eyre, Shirley. Emily #ront@ - L(utherin. Hei.hts. nne #ront@- "he "enant of (ildfell Hall. Eli%abeth .as'ell- 0orth and South. .eorge Eliot- "he #ill on the Floss, L#iddle+arch. Thomas 3ardy- L"ess of the d3r1er%illes. Critical 'i'lio!rap"% le$ander, 5hristine and 8argaret ,mith. "he &!ford Co+panion to the Bront4s. I$ford- I$ford 6ni"ersity 4ress, :CC<. llen, Balter. "he En.lish 0o%el. Eondon- 4enguin, /910. rmstrong, (sobel. Victorian Poetry/ Poetry' Poetics and Politics. Eondon- )outledge, /99>.
Victorian Eiterature- ,yllabus #augh, lfred 5., ed. ) *iterary History of En.land. ,econd edition. Vol. =- "he 0ineteenth Century and )fter. #y ,amuel 5. 5hew and )ichard 7. ltic'. Eondon- )outledge and Megan 4aul Etd., /9<;. = "ols. #owra, 5. 8. DThe 3ouse of Eife&. Bright :=0!<;. #radford, )ichard. ) *in.uistic History of En.lish Poetry. Eondon- )outledge, /99>. #ristow, Foseph, ed. "he Ca+1rid.e Co+panion to Victorian Poetry. 5ambridge- 5ambridge 6ni"ersity 4ress, :CCC. #uc'ley, Ferome 3amilton. DVictorianism&. Bright >!/1. 5ardwell, 8argaret. Aotes. Charles 5ickens/ reat E!pectations. =9/!1C>. 5hew, ,amuel 5. and )ichard 7. ltic'. "he 0ineteenth Century and )fter. #augh Vol. =. 5hilders, Foseph, B. D(ndustrial culture and the Victorian Ao"el&. 7eirdre ;;!9<. 5utitaru, 5odrin Ei"iu. "he Victorian 0o%el. (asi- D l. (. 5u%a& 6ni"ersity 4ress, :CC=. 7ahl, 5urtis. DThe Victorian Basteland&. Bright >:!=C. 7aiches, 7a"id. ) Critical History of En.lish *iterature. ,econd edition. Vol. =. Eondon- ,ec'er N Barburg, /9<9. = "ols. 7eirdre, 7a"id, ed. "he Ca+1rid.e Co+panion to the Victorian 0o%el. 5ambridge- 5ambridge 6ni"ersity 4ress, :CC/. 7elaney, 7enis, 5iaran Bard and 5arla )ho +iorina. Fields of Vision/ *iterature in the En.lish *an.ua.e. Vol. :. 3arlow, Esse$- 4earson Education H Eongman, :CC>. : "ols. Easson, ngus. (ntroduction. .as'ell. "he *ife of Charlotte Bront4. "ii!$$iii. Ebbatson, )oger. eor.e Eliot/ "he #ill on the Floss. Eondon- 4enguin, /99/. E"ans, (for. En.lish Poetry in the *ater 0ineteenth Century. :nd ed. Eondon- 8ethuen, /9<<. +lint, Mate. DThe Victorian no"el and its readers.& 7eirdre /;!><. +ord, #oris, ed. "he Pelican uide to En.lish Eiterature. Vol. <- Fro+ 5ickens to Hardy. Eondon- 4enguin #oo's, /9<9. ; "ols. +orster, ,hirley. (ntroduction. .as'ell. 0orth and South. "ii!$$"i. .alea, (leana. Victorianis+ and *iterature. 5luj!Aapoca- 7acia, :CCC. .e%ari, Fanet. (ntroduction. #ront@, 5harlotte. Shirley. "ii!$$ii. .ill, ,tephen. (ntroduction. 7ic'ens. Hard "i+es. "ii!$$i. 3andley, .raham. "ho+as Hardy/ "ess of the d3r1er%illes. Eondon- 4enguin #oo's, /99/. 3ar"ey, 5hristopher. D)e"olution and the )ule of Eaw&. 8organ =/9!<:. 3awlin, ,tefan. $o1ert Bro6nin.. Eondon- )outledge, :CC:. 3orsman, lan. "he Victorian 0o%el. I$ford- I$ford 6ni"ersity 4ress, /99C. Fames, Eouis. "he Victorian 0o%el. I$ford- #lac'well 4ublishing, :CC<. Fedr%ejews'i, Fan. eor.e Eliot. Eondon- )outledge, :CC;. Fen'ins, lice, ed. "he Poe+s of erard #anley Hopkins. Eondon- )outledge, :CC<. Mlingopoulos, .. 7. D3ardy&s Tales ncient and 8odern&. +ord =C<!/9. EOgouis, Emile and Eouis 5a%amian. ) History of En.lish *iterature. )e"ised edition. Eondon- 7ent, /9;/. Ee"ine, .eorge. Ho6 to $ead the Victorian 0o%el. I$ford- #lac'well, :CC0. Eootens, Tricia. DVictorian 4oetry and patriotism2. #ristow ::1!;9. Eucas, +. E. D8atthew rnold&. Bright 1=!</. 8ac'erness, E. 7. DThe Voice of prophecy- 5arlyle and )us'in&. +ord :9=!>C0. 8acsiniuc, 5ornelia. )n ,ntroduction to Victorian Poetry. ,ucea"a- Editura 6ni"ersitatii ,ucea"a, :CC>. 8atthew, 3. 5. .. DThe Eiberal ge&. 8organ =<>!1::. 8engham, )od. E+ily Bront4/ (utherin. Hei.hts. Eondon- 4enguin, /900. 8organ, Menneth, ed. "he &!ford ,llustrated History of Britain. I$ford- I$ford 6ni"ersity 4ress, :CCC. Aeale, 5atherine. eor.e Eliot/ #iddle+arch. Eondon- 4enguin #oo's, /909. Auno'awa, Feff. D,e$uality in the Victorian no"el&. 7eirdre /:1!=0. 4earsall, 5ornelia 7. F. DThe dramatic monologue&. #ristow <;!00. )ichard #radford. ) *in.uistic History of En.lish Poetry. Eondon- )outledge, /99>. ,ampson, .eorge. "he Concise Ca+1rid.e History of En.lish *iterature. 5ambridge- 5ambridge 6ni"ersity 4ress, /9;:. ,hires, Einda. DThe aesthetics of the Victorian no"el- form, subjecti"ity, ideology&. 7eirdre </!;<. ,mith, 8argaret. (ntroduction. #ront@, nne i$!$$i". Tra"ersi, 7ere'. DThe #ront@ ,isters and (utherin. Hei.hts&. +ord :1<!;>. Turner, 4aul. Victorian Poetry' 5ra+a and #iscellaneous Prose/ 789:-78;<. I$ford- I$ford 6ni"ersity 4ress, /909. Barwic', ,linn E. DE$perimental +orm in Victorian 4oetry&. #ristow =<!<<. Batson, F. ). "he Poetry of erard #anley Hopkins. Eondon- 4enguin #oo's, /90;. Billiams, )aymond. Culture and Society. Eondon- The 3ogarth 4ress, /99>. Bright, ustin, ed. Victorian *iterature/ #odern Essays in Criticis+. Eondon- I$ford 6ni"ersity 4ress, /9</.
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