Dr. Elisabeth Gruner, Spring 2013
Wednesday, 1:30 – 2:45 pm; Queally Hall 155
Office Hours: Wed., 10-11, Th 10:30-11:30, and by appointment, Ryland 303-C
Welcome to our great experiment! In this class you will read three novels, write two papers, and make one (group) in-class presentation. Together we will explore the richness of the great Victorian novel tradition through three fine examples of the form. We will also consider the ways in which the novel form developed in the period, the reasons for that development, and at least some of the political, economic, social, and literary change that is both reflected in and shaped by the fiction of the time. As we do so, we’ll also engage with the question of why these novels might still matter to us, reading them over 150 years later.
The papers you’ll write will be designed to demonstrate your engagement with both the texts at hand and the larger issues we discuss in class; the in-class presentation will give you the opportunity to do some research on the period and present it to your peers. We’ll also write in class every day; in-class writing spurs discussion and provides prompts for later, more polished writing.
Please take note of my office hours, and make an appointment to see me to discuss any questions or concerns you have about the class.
Information regarding Group Presentations
Grading rubric for written work
I’ll update this page frequently; please check back