EN245 The English Nineteenth-Century Novel (2018/19)
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EN245 The English Nineteenth-Century Novel (2018/19)
Module aims:
This module aims to explore the rise of the novel as both a genre and a concept, and the ways in which it develops in the particular context of nineteenth-
century Britain, responding to rapid social change - and the possibility of revolution - and the correspondingly shifting understandings of class, gender,
sexuality, nation and culture. We shall consider what nineteenth-century readers taxonomized the novel and invested heavily in what they thought its
purpose and formula should be and yet simultaneously defamiliarized it. So too, we will consider the C19th novel outside its historical context, and as
subject to multiplicitous critical readings. The module traverses a range of various styles such as "social realism", “sensationalism”, “historical fiction”,
“fantasy”, and cover topics such as masculinity, the new woman, sexuality, childhood, landscapes, Empire, dialogues between image and text, evolution,
and illness. Novelists and texts from the popular to the literary, from the canonical to those often overlooked post-1900.
Assessment: 2X 2500 word Essays (1 at the end of Term 1, the other end of Term 2)
1 x 2 hour Examination
Contact hours: 1 X 1.5 hour seminar
A series of lectures over the course of the year.
If you are an exchange student and studying for the full year, then your assessment requirements are as detailed above. If you are studying this module
for one term only, then you are required to submit written work on the last Tuesday of the term you complete (word count tbc).
Preparation:
A lot of these novels are, as was the way with Victorian writers in particular, very hefty, so if you choose this module you will need to read as many from
term 1 as you can over the summer or you are likely to fall behind. Particularly as, in many weeks, there is also compulsory secondary reading. In the
“purchase” section I have indicated approximate page numbers of primary texts (based on my own editions) to help you prepare.
I also recommend reading the following articles/chapters/texts in preparation (moodle):
1. At least one of these three from The Oxford Handbook of the Victorian Novel, ed. Lisa Rodensky (2013):
a. Peter Garside, 'The Early C19th English Novel, 1820-1836'
b. William McKelvy, 'New Histories of English Literature and the Rise of the Novel, 1835-1859'
c. Rebecca Edwards Newman, 'Genre, Criticism, and the Early Victorian Novel'
2. These articles are the set texts for week one of term one. Read them now but try and re-read for week one as well, making more critical notes:
Elizabeth Inchbald, ‘Novel Writing’ (1807); E. Buwler-Lytton, ‘On Art in Fiction’ (1838); George Eliot, ‘Silly Novels by Lady Novelists’ (1856)
Walter Besant’s & Henry James’ articles, ‘The Art of Fiction’ (1884)
F.R. Leavis, ‘The Great Tradition’ (1948); Roland Barthes, ‘The Reality Effect’ (1968); Rita Felski, ‘Context Stinks’ (2011)
3. Delve in and out of at least one of these two: Both available as e-books in Warwick library.
The Oxford handbook of the Victorian novel , edited by Lisa Rodensky (2013)
The Oxford handbook of Victorian literary culture, edited by Juliet John. (2016)TEXTS TO PURCHASE
• Below I specify the editions to be purchased: I strongly recommend those editions because of the quality of editing and accompanying critical materials
in that edition, and it keeps the class flowing if we are all on “the same page”.
• They are divided into Term 1 and 2 to help spread costs.
• Some weeks we will also examine the illustrations, so it is important that you get the relevant editions were specified.
• If you use e-books, try to get these editions, and avoid ones without page numbers.
• NOTE: Ensure the version you purchase is unabridged.
• TIP: To get the best price and correct edition I recommend the comparison site www.booksprice.co.uk
TIP: If you use amazon, type the book title and “penguin” etc in the search box (e.g. Waverley Oxford Classics) to ensure they show you that edition.
Term 1: [7 texts]
Maria Edgeworth, Belinda [1801] Charles Dickens, David Copperfield
(Oxford World’s Classics, 2008) [1850]
approx. 470 pp. (Penguin Classics, 2004)
Or another FULLY ILLUSTRATED edition by
H.K. Browne (Phiz) required.
NB: Oxford World Classics only contains 8 of the
illustrations.
The fancy Penguin clothbound and Vintage versions
Walter Scott, The Antiquary [1816/1829] are not illustrated.
(Oxford World’s Classics, 2015) or (Penguin, 2011) approx. 883 pp.
approx. 360 pp.
Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in
Wonderland [1865]
[unabridged and any edition illustrated by
Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton [1848] TENNIEL]
(Oxford World’s Classics, 2006) NB: preferably collected with Through the Looking
approx. 380pp Glass
approx. 160pp.
George Eliot, Silas Marner [1861] George Gissing, The Nether World
(Oxford World Classics, 2008 or 2017) [1889]
or (Penguin Classics, 2003)
(Oxford World Classics, 2008)
approx. 160pp.
approx. 390pp
Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure [1895]
(Oxford World Classics, 2009) or Norton Critical
Editions (2016)
approx. 380 pp.Term 2 [6 texts]:
Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey [1803/1817]
(Oxford World’s Classics, 2008) R. L. Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll
or (Penguin, 2003) and Mr Hyde [1886]
approx. 235pp. Norton Anth, 9th edn. (vol. E)
(Oxford World’s Classics, 2008)
(Penguin 2003)
approx. 200pp
Charlotte Brontë, Villette. [1853]
(Oxford World’s Classics, 2008)
approx. 496pp. Florence Marryat, The Blood of the Vampire
[1897]
(Victorian Secrets, 2012)
(or Wildside press, 2018)
approx. 250 pp.
Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White [1859]
(Oxford World’s Classics, 2008)
approx. 530pp. H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds [1898]
(Penguin Classics, 2005) or
(Oxford World’s Classics, 2017)
approx. 180 pp.Term One OVERVIEW – The C19th Novel: Uncomfortable Realisms
Week Primary Reading Approx Compulsory Critical Reading
page no.
1. The English Novel: In Elizabeth Inchbald, ‘Novel Writing’ (1807) NB: The “Primary Texts” for week 1 will be
Context and Theory E. Buwler-Lytton, ‘On Art in Fiction’ (1838) available in hard-copy to collect from the
George Eliot, ‘Silly Novels by Lady Novelists’ (1856) departmental office. If you find yourself
Walter Besant’s & Henry James’ articles, ‘The Art of Fiction’ (1884) unable to collect before term starts, please
F.R. Leavis, ‘The Great Tradition’ (1948) read them online make notes and then grab
Roland Barthes, from ‘The Reality Effect’ (1968) a hard copy when you can.
Rita Felski, ‘Context Stinks’ (2011)
2. The Society Novel Maria Edgeworth, Belinda (1801/2) 470pp. No set secondary but ensure to read the
text’s Introduction and “Note on the
Text”.
3. The Historical Novel Walter Scott, The Antiquary (1816/29) 430 pp. No set secondary but John Bowen’s, ‘The
Historical Novel’ (2002) is recommended
LECTURE: Literary Landscapes for context.
4. The Industrial Novel Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Barton (1848) 370 pp. Caroline Levine, ‘Victorian Realism’
(2012)
Friedrich Engels, from ‘The Condition of
the Working Class’ (1845)
5. The Bildungsroman Charles Dickens, David Copperfield (1850) 450 pp. No set secondary. See week-specific list for
Chs. I - 31 recommendations
LECTURE: Dialogues between
Image and Text
6. READING WEEK - NO CLASS
7. Colonising Narrative Charles Dickens, David Copperfield (1850) 400 pp. Edward Said, ‘Consolidated Vision’
Chs. 32 – End. (1993)
8. Children’s Literature? Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) 160pp.
LECTURE: The Victorian Child One piece of modern criticism of
student’s choosing.
9. Provincial Fairytales George Eliot, Silas Marner (1861) 160 pp. George Eliot, from ‘The Natural
History of German Life’ (1859)
10. Empires of Dirt George Gissing, The Nether World (1889) 390pp. John Ruskin, ‘The Storm-Cloud of the
Nineteenth Century’ (1884)Term Two OVERVIEW – The C19th Novel: Play, Parody, Fantasy, and Other Worlds.
Week Primary Reading Approx Required Critical Reading
pages
1. Experimental Forms John Ruskin, from ‘Fiction – Fair and Foul’ (1880)
Oscar Wilde, from ‘The Decay of Lying’ (1891)
Sigmund Freud, “The Uncanny” (1919)
Other Reading TBC.
2. Early Gothic and its Parody Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey (1818) 220 pp. Anon. ‘Terrorist Novel Writing’ (1797)
LECTURE: The Haunted Novel Anon. ‘Novel Reading: A Cause of Female Depravity’ (1817)
3. Subversive Realism Charlotte Brontë, Villette (1853) 164 pp.
Vols. I Charlotte Brontë letter.
4. Haunted Femininities & Empires Charlotte Brontë, Villette (1853) 325 pp.
Vols. II and III Extracts from The Monk
5. New Sensations Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White (1859) 450pp. Wilkie Collins, ‘A Petition to Novelists’ (1863)
Read until the end of the chapter “The Story Continued by Appendices A-C
Eliza Michelson” in the Second Epoch
6. READING WEEK - NO CLASS
7. Dangerous Detections Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White (1859) 278pp.
Read from “The Story Continued in Several Narratives” to No set secondary. See week-specific list for recommendations
LECTURE: Science and Literature the end.
8. Darwin’s Degenerates Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr 200 pp. Patricia Comitini, "The Strange Case of Addiction in Robert
Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) Louis Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr.
Hyde" (2012)
9. The New Woman Florence Marryat, The Blood of the Vampire (1897) 187pp. Appendices A-D
LECTURE: Past, Present, Future
10: Darkest Present-Futures H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds (1898) 180 pp. No set secondary. See week-specific list for recommendationsYou can also read
