Course Description
English 449B provides students with a broad overview of British literary history so they can later pursue more in-depth studies into individual movements, authors, and texts. As a survey course, this class covers some of the most influential works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama published between the late eighteenth and late twentieth centuries by concentrating on five key moments and movements — Romanticism, the Victorian Age, Modernism, the Postcolonial Era, and Postmodernism. Over the course of our exploration, we will attempt to examine the following:
- How different literary movements conceived the nature and function of literature
- How specific historical conditions and concerns shape literary theory and practice
- How literature shaped the way in which people understood and grappled with the rapid and sweeping changes during the rise and fall of the British Empire
Course Objectives
After completing this course, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of 18th-20th Century British Literature
- Interpret works of British literature in light of their historical, social, and/or economic contexts
- Respond to the diverse viewpoints in British Literature and understand their link to identity, particularly religion, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality
- Recognize the complex problems associated with industrialization and identify how perspectives on them evolved over time
- Understand the effects of European colonialism and the influence of its political, economic, and social institutions on literature
- Collaborate effectively with others to share information, analyze literature, and critique the influence of past works on current society