From Austen to Dracula: The Transformation of 19th Century English Literature (II)
In this course we will trace the development of 19th century literature from the polite and decorous world of Austen in the early decades to the blood-thirsty depravity of Dracula and his kin in the fin de siecle. Far from merely reflecting the society that created it, 19th century literature played an active part in constructing its readers' ideas of gender and sexuality, imperialism and colonialism, class, religion, and technology. We will read novels by Austen, the Brontës, Dickens, George Eliot, Thomas Hardy, and Stoker; poetry by Wordsworth, Tennyson, Browning, Arnold, and Christina Rossetti; and works by Oscar Wilde and others that defy classification. We will pay special attention to authors' efforts to make literature relevant and revelatory in a time of swift and sometimes frightening social and intellectual innovation. 3 hrs lect./disc.