ENGL 140 Victoriana

This class will examine the literature and culture of the Victorian period, from the 1830s to the turn of the twentieth century.  We will read classic Victorian novels such as Silas Marner, Great Expectations, and Jane Eyre alongside more contemporary literary and cinematic interlocutors including Wide Sargasso Sea, Thugs of Hindostan, and Victoria and Abdul.  In thinking about the period’s lasting impact on our own society, we will consider the broader historical context of imperialism, urbanization, and industrialization, all of which expanded dramatically during the Victorian era. We will also examine the shifting social and legal structures of the era, addressing issues of class, sexuality, and race.