ENGL 2051 - Literature and Society in Victorian Britain

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2021

The nineteenth century witnessed extraordinary social and cultural change in Britain, from the rise of industrial capitalism to the emancipation of women, from the decline of Christian belief to the growth of Empire, from urbanisation to the emergence of mass literacy. This course will introduce students to some significant texts and literary movements of the period, in the wider context of social transformation and emerging literary practices. Issues to be considered will include the establishment of the novel as the dominant literary genre, the ways in which social values are encoded and contested in literary texts, and the relationship of traditional and experimental practices in poetic forms. The course aims to develop students' analytic and critical skills through an engagement with a range of issues and methodologies in literary studies.

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Course Details

Course Code	ENGL 2051
Course	Literature and Society in Victorian Britain
Coordinating Unit	English, Creative Writing, and Film
Term	Semester 1
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 3 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Prerequisites	At least 12 units of Level I undergraduate study
Assumed Knowledge	Familiarity with the reading & analysis of literary texts equivalent to Level I English standard
Biennial Course	Course offered in odd years
Assessment	Close reading (10%), seminar presentation (10%), 2000 word seminar paper (30%), exam (40%), participation (10%)

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Maggie Tonkin

Dr Maggie Tonkin
maggie.tonkin@adelaide.edu.au

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .

Course Learning Outcomes

1. Understand and interpret key Victorian texts.
2. Explain key aspects of Victorian literary genres, including the novel and poetry.
3. Read and interpret literary criticism and apply it within an academic argument.
4. Locate and access appropriate primary and secondary sources.
5. Evaluate critical arguments about Victorian realism and incorporate into their own arguments.
6. Write logical and coherent arguments based on evidence, and engage in critical debate.
7. Work with others in the exploration of ideas and the negotiation of solutions to problems.
8. Use technologies relevant to the University learning environment.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Deep discipline knowledge informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1 accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)	1,2,3,4,5
Critical thinking and problem solving steeped in research methods and rigor based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment	1,2,3,4,5
Teamwork and communication skills developed from, with, and via the SGDE honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning	6,7,8
Career and leadership readiness technology savvy professional and, where relevant, fully accredited forward thinking and well informed tested and validated by work based experiences	6,7,8
Intercultural and ethical competency adept at operating in other cultures comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges	1,2
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate	1,6,7

Learning Resources

Required Resources

Primary texts:
Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre
Dickens, Charles. Hard Times.
Eliot, George. Middlemarch.
Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness.
Selected Victorian poetry will be availble in Course Readings on MyUni.

Recommended Resources

There are many useful secondary reources on Victorian literature. The following are recommended, but there are many others available through the Bar Smith library.

Brantlinger, Patrick and William B. Thesing. A Companion to the Victorian Novel. Blackwell, 2002.
Bristow, Joseph. The Cambridge Companion to Victorian Poetry. Cambridge UP, 2000.
David, Deidre. The Cambridge Companion to the Victorian Novel. Cambridge UP, 2001.
Purchase, Sean. Key Concepts in Victorian Literature. Palgrave Key Concepts Series.
Watt, Ian.

The Bar Smith Library has a useful page of resources for studying literature generally:
Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

Students are expected to read and have a thorough knowledge of five novels and a small number of Victorian poems. Lectures will introduce the historical background of the Victorian period, and cover the production, reception and interpretation of the set texts, always situating them within this historical context. Seminars will involve student presentations on research questions related to the set texts, close reading exercises, and both small and large group discussion of textual interpretations and literary criticism. Seminars are designed to increase student engagement with Victorian literary texts, to encourage student participation in literary criticism and debate, and to nurture student research interests.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

Students will commit a total of 156 hours over the semester.

Learning Activities Summary

No information currently available.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment tasks may include preparing for and leading a group discussion, essays and poetry analysis.

Assessment Related Requirements

Students are expected to have read the set texts before the lecture. Note that attendance at seminars is a requirement of this course.

Assessment Detail

No information currently available.

Submission

No information currently available.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through .

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.

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Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator

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