PS, Wed 10- 12
WS 2009/2010
Universität Bayreuth
Course Description:
During the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) prosperity increased in Britain resulting from technological advancements and the expanding Empire. Nevertheless it was not only a period of success including major scientific and philosophical discoveries; the rapid urbanization triggered by the Industrial Revolution also lead to miserable working and living conditions for working-class people. This course aims to explore the Victorian Age from different angles. With the help of non-fictional writing, we will get an insight into the actual living circumstances and attitudes of the period. By reading various forms of literary representations we will highlight the aspects people were mostly concerned about and what methods they used to express their feelings.
Texts to be obtained by students:
Charles Dickens. Hard Times
Charlotte Brontë. Jane Eyre
Oscar Wilde. The Importance of Being Earnest
A Reader with additional texts will be available at the beginning of the semester.
