MA Nineteenth Century Studies – Induction

Wednesdays 5-7pm

‘Romantic Movements’ will engage you in cutting edge approaches to and debates within Romantic Studies, including: globalizing and interdisciplinary approaches to the Romantic period and its literature which seek to decentre popular and academic canons; challenges to and new ways of close reading Romantic poetry and other texts; the role of feeling and emotion in the period and its literature; the material culture of the period and ways in which this culture has been remediated from the nineteenth century to today, from popular adaptations in theatre, TV, film and other media to other re-imaginings. We will also consider its roots in environmentalism and how this inspires sustainability initiatives today. The module aims to give postgraduate students a panoramic vision of the state of the discipline of Romantic Studies today

Tutor: [email protected]

Thursdays 5-7pm

In Caught in the Act: Theatricality in the Nineteenth-Century English Novel (1992) Joseph Litvack notes that, for the nineteenth century, the theatre was in fact “diffuse[ed] throughout the culture that would appear to have repudiated it” (x). Why, then, is the theatre so often left out of discussions of nineteenth-century literature, culture, and art? In the ‘Theatre and Theatricality’ strand of LIT4006: Research Specialism we will consider why this gap exists in conventional scholarship, and work to reconnect the theatrical history, culture, and practitioners of the nineteenth century back to their contemporaries in other art forms. Topics covered will include theatrical styles and genres—such as melodrama, the well-made play, Naturalism, and political drama—theatre in the novel (considering works by Dickens, Collins, Wilde, and Marryat), and theatre in society more broadly, through a variety of primary source materials. You will be assessed on two submissions: a 1500-word project proposal and a final project of 3500 words or the equivalent, with the opportunity to workshop ideas and approaches in seminar over the course of the term.

The ‘Theatre and Theatricality’ strand of LIT4006: Research Specialism is designed to cater to a wide range of interests and approaches. To that end, there is no requirement for previous interest or training in performance, and there will be no requirement to perform as part of the module. Those with a performance background will certainly be encouraged to incorporate that knowledge into their work, but the module will explore many other ways of engaging with the pervasive theatricality of the period.

Tutor: [email protected]

Wednesdays 5-7pm

On Victorian Decades you will explore the literary and cultural developments of the nineteenth century, taking a decade-by-decade approach to understand the key cultural shifts of the period. Students will explore how social and cultural changes were both shaped by and shaping the literary trends of the period, from the optimism of the 1830s, the ‘Hungry forties’, and the sensation novel of the 1860s to the Realist movement, New Imperialism and Gothic anxieties of the fin de siècle. The module will take an interdisciplinary approach to the Victorian period, giving students a detailed subject knowledge as well as introducing a range of critical and theoretical approaches to the primary material.

Tutor: [email protected]

Wednesdays 2-4pm

Entertaining the Victorians (LIT4003) is a second semester module. It examines the history of nineteenth-century popular culture, with a particular focus on Victorian leisure and entertainment practices. What did the Victorians do for fun? How did this change over the course of the nineteenth century? What kind of debates and anxieties did leisure provoke? To answer these questions, we’ll examine a range of different topics, including: print culture, jokes, music hall, exhibitions, sport, obscene publications, nightlife, and the seaside. In the process, you’ll also refine your research skills by searching for relevant primary sources in digital archives.

You’ll be assessed via:

• 1,500 word Primary Source Analysis
• 3,500 word Research Essay

Tutor: [email protected]

Thursdays 2-4pm

This is a second semester module in which you will study aspects of crime history between c.1840-1940 as a valuable way to examine contemporary society, its fears, ideologies and prejudices, especially in relation to social class and gender. This period was crucial in the development and refinement of the modern criminal justice system during rapid industrial and technological change and so you will gain an understanding of some key features and institutions that compose modern society in England and Wales. It will therefore enable you to consider crime as a key lens through which to understand and critically analyse social, economic and cultural change. It will foster M-level skills in primary research, the development of critical thinking and oral and written skills. Some of the topics explored will be the criminal justice system, gendered-ideologies, murder, youth gangs, wife beating and motor bandits.

You will be assessed via:

• 1000-word research proposal
• 3000-word research project (developed from your research proposal)
• 1000-word scholarly blog (likely to be related to your research topic but not covering the same content)

Tutor: [email protected]