| The Victorian Novel: | In this course we will study the Victorian (1837-1901) form of the novel, a genre which was distinguishedfor its realism, for its approach to social and political issues, and for its detailed depiction of the subtleties of human action and interaction. Although the novel had existed for well over a century it was not until the 1800s when writers began to take it seriously as means to communicate issues of social significance. New innovations in transportation and publishing technologies made mass publishing possible and as literacy increased, many people turned to the novel for amusement and for interest. The stunning popularity of Charles Dickens, whose 1860-61 work, Great Expectations, we will read, was due to the sensational power of the novel. One of the earliest novelists who will be addressed in the course is Jane Austen, whose "comedies of manners" helped set a tone for later writers including the Brontės (Charlotte, Emily and Anne), who will also figure prominently in the course. Reading will include commentary (both contemporary and current) about the novel, so that we can understand why and how the novel mattered. The later writers will include George Eliot, Thomas Hardy, and Joseph Conrad. (Conrad's novel Nostromo, it is worth noting, was adapted for the movie "Alien.") |
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Northanger
Abbey Jane Austen Marilyn Butler -
Editor 288 pages | ISBN 0141439793
Penguin |
Great
Expectations Charles Dickens 544 pages | |
Cranford and
Cousin Phillis Elizabeth Gaskell - Author Peter Keating - Editor 368 pages | ISBN 0140431047
Penguin |
The Mill on
the Floss George Eliot - Author A. S. Byatt -
Editor/introduction 704 pages | ISBN 0141439629
Penguin | |
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Jude the
Obscure Thomas Hardy - Author Dennis Taylor - Editor/introduction/note(s) 528 pages | ISBN 0140435387 |
Penguin |
Nostromo: A Tale of the Seaboard Joseph Conrad - Author Martin Seymour-Smith -
Editor 480 pages | ISBN 014018371X |
Penguin |
The Odd Women George Gissing - Author Elaine Showalter - Introduction 416 pages | ISBN 0140433791 ||
Penguin |
The Victorian World Picture Rutgers University Press;
ISBN: 0813527589 |
RECOMMENDED: Essentials of the Theory of
Fiction, 2nd ed. Michael J. Hoffman, Patrick D. Murphy Duke University Press ISBN 0-8223-1823-7 Paperback -
$25.95 |
Syllabus Knowledge & Discussion Topics Essay Questions
| Writing & Style Pages: | LitCrit & Sources | Victorian Materials | Libraries |
