School of English
Module manager: Professor Richard Salmon
Email: r.salmon@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module explores the development of the novel and other forms of prose fiction during the early Victorian period (c.1837-1859). It examines some of the most distinctive and influential genres of Victorian fiction, including serialized novels, social realism, historical fiction, fictional autobiography, and the gothic. The module situates these narrative forms in relation to the expanding print culture of the mid-nineteenth century, as well as examining how the first generation of Victorian novelists responded to the major social conflicts and cultural anxieties of the period.
The module aims to introduce students to a range of narrative forms of early Victorian fiction and to develop a critical understanding of how these forms were produced in relation to a) the wider economy of print culture, and b) major social conflicts and cultural concerns of the period, including industrialization, the growth of empire, and changing gender roles. A combination of close reading of literary texts and engagement with relevant historical contexts will be achieved through seminar discussions, lectures, and an extended essay.
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Identify the Victorian novel as a literary form, encompassing a range of genres and influenced by the wider print culture of the period
2. Show how novels engaged with relevant socio-historical contexts and debates of the early-Victorian period (e.g. industrialization, the growth of empire, changing gender roles)
3. Demonstrate an informed understanding of relevant critical approaches within the scholarly field of Victorian literary studies.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
1. Conduct independent research, gathering information from a range of sources, and engaging in good academic practice in referencing their sources.
2. Produce independent arguments demonstrating advanced proficiency in critical thinking and writing skills.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1 | 10 |
| Private study hours | 185 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 15 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Students have opportunities for feedback through weekly seminar discussion. They also receive detailed feedback on a formative/unassessed essay (1000 words) in advance of completing the module assessment.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | 4000 word summative essay | 100 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
One formative essay of 1000 words is required which may include an extended plan for the summative essay. This does not form part of the assessment for the module but is a requirement and must be submitted. Students who fail to submit the formative essay will be awarded a maximum mark of 40 for the module (a bare Pass).
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 5/22/2024
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