This unit asks the question – what does 'Victorian' mean as a literary and cultural category? Faced with rapid urbanisation, industrialisation, and imperial expansion, nineteenth century writers responded with energy and passion, participating in the construction of an increasingly diverse literary marketplace. This was the period when the novel, poetry, the popular essay and journalism were radically redefining the cultural and public sphere. This was also the age of emerging mass readerships and literary celebrities. Taking a selection of texts as a starting point, this unit explores Victorian literary culture as dynamic, diverse, and self-consciously modern. -- Course Website
Instructor: Dr Lee O'Brien
Prerequisites: 6cp in ENGL units at 200 level
