English 133 - Fall, 2023

19th Century British Literature

Class Information

Instructor: Arkenberg, Megan
CRN: 32057
Time: MWF 12:10-1:00
Location: 1120 Hart
GE Areas: World Cultures Writing Experience

Description

This course will explore some of the major movements of British fiction and poetry in the 19th century, from Romanticism and the Gothic novel at the beginning of the century to aestheticism and the birth of science fiction in the fin de siecle. Along the way, we will also encounter some of the period's major works of nonfiction, including Darwin's On the Origin of Species. Topics include gender, marriage, and queerness; science, evolution, and psychology; art and beauty; industrialization; and imperialism and British identity.

Grading

Participation in class discussion
Close Reading essay (4-6 pages)
Critical essay (6-8 pages) with annotated bibliography (3-4 pages)
Midterm and final exams

Texts

Northranger Abbey, Jane Austen
Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
The Time Machine, H. G. Wells