ENGL 356 - Victorian Literature

3 Credit(s)

The Victorian Period (1832–1901) was a dynamic era caught between tradition and innovation. Victorian writers and thinkers questioned everything: the existence of God, the value of science and technology, the role of women, the purpose of work and art. They defined public life through ethical demands and social engagement and private life through new forms of intimacy and companionship— and tried to balance both. In this course, students study the poetry and prose of mid- and late-19th century England, considering social and historical context, literary technique, and relevance to our own lives. Emphasized authors may include Thomas Carlyle, Alfred Tennyson, Elizabeth Gaskell, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Oscar Wilde.
Satisfies a humanities general education requirement for non-majors.