Victorian Rights: Victorian Wrongs

ENGL22102 Victorian Rights: Victorian Wrongs 20 Semester 2 Undergraduate Level 2 Michael Sanders Unit coordinator English and American Studies 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Middle part of Bachelors ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 10.0 We tend to think of the Victorian period in terms of its many ‘wrongs’ – sexual repression, harsh labour conditions, poverty, and empire.  Yet the Victorian period was also a time of increasing economic and political ‘rights’.  This course examines the role of Victorian literature in combating wrongs and campaigning for rights.  In particular, it focuses on the rights and wrongs of: labour, women, sexuality, and race.  It takes a nuanced and critical approach to the question of ‘rights’ asking, for example, to what extent the Victorians saw ‘rights’ as universal and complementary, and to what extent they saw them as conditional and subject to competing claims?  Why did  Victorian society find it easier to grant rights in some areas but not others?  If you are interested in the ways in which literature can make a social difference, this is the course for you!   This course examines the inter-connected, and sometimes conflicting, debates over ‘rights’ in the Victorian period as expressed in the literature of the period.  The course focuses on the complex interplay between personal, social, political and economic rights (and wrongs) particularly as they apply to categories such as ‘labour’ (workers’ rights), ‘gender’ (women’s rights) and ‘race’ (the rights of colonised and enslaved peoples).  By exploring work from a range of Victorian writers, including Gaskell, Barrett Browning, and Dickens, we will analyse the ways in which Victorian society diagnosed its own shortcomings (wrongs) and imagined solutions to those problems (rights).  <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="19" role="listitem">To introduce students to a range of Victorian debates concerning rights in the areas of labour, gender, and race, as mediated in and through the literature of the period; </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="19" role="listitem">To enable students to analyse the ways in which Victorian literature diagnosed social ills (wrongs) and imagined solutions to those problems (rights); </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="19" role="listitem">To provide students with a nuanced and critical understanding of the Victorian period as an era which saw both advances and reverses in the general area of rights. </li></ul> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="20" role="listitem">Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Victorian debates concerning rights in the areas of  labour, gender and race; </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="20" role="listitem">Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the role played by Victorian literature in the debates over rights; </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="20" role="listitem">Demonstrate an understanding of the relationships (both complementary and conflictual) between different rights; </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="20" role="listitem">Demonstrate a nuanced and critical understanding of the progress and regress of specific rights across the Victorian period. </li></ul> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="22" role="listitem">Identify and analyse the contribution made by literary texts to debates on rights; </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="22" role="listitem">Critically evaluate competing claims regarding personal, social, political and economic rights. </li></ul> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="23" role="listitem">Make good use of library, electronic, and online resources pertaining to the course; </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="23" role="listitem">Plan and execute independent research on the social role of literature in the Victorian period;  </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="23" role="listitem">Speak and write clearly on the topic of rights in the Victorian period. </li></ul> <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="24" role="listitem">Retrieve, sift, organise, synthesise and critically evaluate material from a range of different sources, including library, electronic, and online resources; </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="24" role="listitem">Demonstrate good teamworking skills by working with other students to develop and deliver a group project; </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="24" role="listitem">Manage time effectively by scheduling tasks in order of importance; </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="24" role="listitem">Develop a critically, reflective yet sensitive attitude to the complex debates surrounding rights. </li></ul> Other This course enhances student employability by giving students a range of transferable skills. These include: logical thought; good oral and written communication skills, resourcefulness in the ability to gather, interpret, analyse and/or evaluate critical sources; time management skills [[through the completion of independent or deadline-driven work]]; teamworking skills thorough the use of a group project. It also enhances the ability of students to identify and articulate acquired skills through the reflective report on the group project. Please note this is an indicative reading list (but each text contributes to the debate on rights in at least two areas):  <ul role="list"> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="1" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="25" role="listitem">Elizabeth Gaskell, North & South  </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="2" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="25" role="listitem">Selection of Chartist poetry  </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="3" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="25" role="listitem">Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Aurora Leigh  </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="4" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="25" role="listitem">Charles Dickens, Great Expectations  </li> <li aria-setsize="-1" data-aria-level="1" data-aria-posinset="5" data-font="Symbol" data-leveltext="" data-list-defn-props="{"335552541":1,"335559684":-2,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-listid="25" role="listitem">Olive Schreiner, The Story of An African Farm  </li></ul> This course will be taught by a weekly 2 hour lecture and a weekly 1 hour seminar. Materials including; llecture slides, bibliographies, exercises, handouts, will be posted on Blackboard each week.  0 Other 100% <table class="Table" style="width:373px; margin-left:7px; border-collapse:collapse" width="373"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="border-bottom:1px solid black; width:241px; padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; height:20px; border-top:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black" valign="top">Assessment task  </td> <td style="border-bottom:1px solid black; width:132px; padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; height:20px; border-top:1px solid black; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:none" valign="top">Weighting within unit (if summative) </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom:1px solid black; width:241px; padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; height:20px; border-top:none; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black" valign="top">Group Project </td> <td style="border-bottom:1px solid black; width:132px; padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; height:20px; border-top:none; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:none" valign="top">30% </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom:1px solid black; width:241px; padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; height:20px; border-top:none; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black" valign="top">Individual Project Report </td> <td style="border-bottom:1px solid black; width:132px; padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; height:20px; border-top:none; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:none" valign="top">20% </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom:1px solid black; width:241px; padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; height:20px; border-top:none; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:1px solid black" valign="top">Exam (2 hour) </td> <td style="border-bottom:1px solid black; width:132px; padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm; height:20px; border-top:none; border-right:1px solid black; border-left:none" valign="top">50% </td> </tr> </tbody></table> N Patrick Brantlinger, Victorian Literature and Postcolonial Studies (2009) Deirdre David, ed., The Cambridge Compansion to the Victorian Novel, 2nd ed (2012). Gretchen Gerzina, Black Victorians, Black Victoriana (New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press) Juliet John, ed. Oxford Handbook of Victorian Literary Culture (OUP, 2016) Lisa Lowe, The Intimacies of Four Continents (Duke University Press, 2015) Linda H. Peterson, ed, The Cambridge Companion to Victorian Women’s Writing, (CUP, 2015). Lawrence W. Mazzeno, ed. Twenty-first Century Perspectives on Victorian Literature (Lanham ML: Rowman and Littlefield, 2014)  Lectures 22 Seminars 11 0 170