ENGL 362

Studies in a Nineteenth-Century Genre (3 credits)

Instructor: Dr. G. Mackie
Section: 921
Term: 1A

The Victorian Novel

In this section we will explore the social, aesthetic, and economic contexts that informed the nineteenth century’s most popular genre, the novel. Despite its relative predominance, the Victorian novel is more diverse than monolithic, and we will be paying close attention to a variety of nineteenth-century fictional modes, including social comedy, realism, detective fiction, and the gothic.

PLEASE NOTE: Since we will be covering a great deal of material in a relatively short period of time (six weeks), advance reading is STRONGLY ENCOURAGED. Victorian novels are not known for their brevity.

Course Schedule and Readings

May

T. 11    Introduction: The Victorian Age

Th. 13  Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights

T. 18    Wuthering Heights

Th. 20  Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

T. 25    Great Expectations

Th. 27  In-class essay

June

T. 1      Elizabeth Gaskell, Cranford

Th. 3    Cranford

T. 8      Wilkie Collins, The Moonstone

Th. 10  The Moonstone

T. 15    Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Th. 17 Jekyll and Hyde; TERM PAPERS DUE; Final Review

The Final Exam will take place during the scheduled exam period.

Mark Breakdown:

• Informed Participation: 10%
• In-class essay: 20%
• Term paper: 40%
• Final exam: 30%

Course Requirements and Policies

Participation and Attendance:

Informed and critically engaged participation is essential. Since the summer term is so short, missing even one class will seriously impair your ability to do well in ENGL 362.

Written Assignments:

Essays should be double-spaced, and should follow MLA citation style. Be sure to include your name, the paper’s title, the course number and the date on the first page of your paper. Title pages and plastic report covers are not required. Late papers will be penalized at a rate of 5% per calendar day.

Academic Integrity:

Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty are VERY serious offences. Penalties range from (at the least) a mark of zero on the course to expulsion from the University.