This advanced course familiarizes students with the writings of the major literary and cultural figures of the Victorian period in Britain. The class reads Victorian poetry against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world during a period that marked the high point of England’s global power. We study the notes of melancholy along with the celebratory articulations of some major writers and attempt to map the ambiguity and complexity of the period. We also attempt to locate Victorian poetry in the context of imperialism and the emergence of global modernity. In addition to studying canonical Victorian writing we also briefly consider odd Victorian by ways. Close reading of text, awareness of cultural and intellectual context, and awareness of critical commentary mark all our literary considerations.
- Teacher: Gaura Narayan