| Unit name | Victorian Materialities |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ENGLM0063 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Tara Puri |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
None |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Department of English |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
The Victorians’ fascination with the increasingly opulent and diverse material culture of their time has become a central concern for the field of Victorian studies, particularly in the last decade. In keeping with this ‘material turn’, this unit will focus on the numerous, seemingly trivial objects that populate the writing of the period, existing on the fringes of the reader’s consciousness. The unit explores the dynamic ways in which subjects and objects merge, become metonyms of each other, and find themselves materially transformed through this exchange. We will examine a wide range of literary and cultural concepts, and consider the porous boundaries between Victorian subjects and objects, as well as the category of ‘thing’ – following Bill Brown’s notion of the ‘thing’ as an intermediary between subject and object. The aim of the unit is to investigate how these artefacts contribute to an understanding Victorian literature and culture. While literature is the dominant focus, we will also look at selected paintings, literary illustrations and fashion plates from women’s magazines.
On successful completion of this unit, students will have:
(1) developed a detailed knowledge and understanding of material culture in relation to Victorian literature;
(2) developed a critical understanding of the political, historical, cultural and theoretical contexts that influence this body of literature;
(3) acquired the ability to analyse and evaluate differing critical accounts of the primary literature;
(4) demonstrated the ability to identify and evaluate pertinent evidence in order to illustrate a cogent argument;
(5) strengthened skills in argumentation, academic writing, and evaluation of textual evidence from a range of Victorian literature and culture, appropriate to level M.
1 x 2-hour seminar per week
1 x 1,000 word presentation and 1 x 4,000 word essay (100%) - ILO's 1-5
