production
Skip to Content

EL40GU: LITERATURE AND PSYCHOLOGY AT THE FIN DE SIECLE (2015-2016)

Last modified: 25 Mar 2016 11:36


Course Overview

Psychology, neurology and criminology came to the forefront of late-nineteenth-century thought about pressing issues and anxieties: post-Darwinian fears of decline and degeneration; decadence and neurasthenia; the strains upon and secrets within city spaces; New (and fallen) Women, and imperialist expansion and its attendant masculinities. Examining interdisciplinary exchange between literature and sciences of mind, we will engage in close reading of several texts to understand the role and scope of the novel genre at this time of social, cultural and aesthetic upheaval. Authors studied may include Thomas Hardy, Olive Schreiner, Joseph Conrad, R.L. Stevenson, Oscar Wilde and H.G. Wells.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 4
Term First Term Credit Points 30 credits (15 ECTS credits)
Campus None. Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Dr Alexandra Lewis

Qualification Prerequisites

None.

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Either English (EL) (Studied) or BSc Medical Science (Medical Humanities) (Studied)
  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)
  • Programme Level 4

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

Psychology, neurology and criminology came to the forefront of late-nineteenth-century thought about a number of pressing issues and anxieties: post-Darwinian fears of decline and degeneration; decadence and neurasthenia; the strains upon and secrets within city spaces; New (and fallen) Women, and imperialist expansion and its attendant masculinities. Examining interdisciplinary exchange between literature and sciences of mind in the period 1880-1901, we will engage in close reading of several key texts to generate an understanding of the role and scope of the novel genre at this time of social, cultural and aesthetic upheaval. Authors studied may include Thomas Hardy, Olive Schreiner, Joseph Conrad, Rudyard Kipling, Robert Louis Stevenson, Oscar Wilde and H.G. Wells.

Further Information & Notes

This is a 12-week course.

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Two 2500 - 3000 word essays (40% each) and seminar assessment (20%) For honours students only: candidates achieving a CAS mark of 6-8 may be awarded compensatory level 1 credit. Candidates achieving a CAS mark of less than 6 will be required to submit a new essay.

Formative Assessment

Students will be encouraged to seek formative feedback on their seminar performance. In-seminar discussions will aid students in knowing what is expected of them in the course.

Feedback

Detailed written comments on essays; detailed oral feedback on seminar participation (content and delivery).

Course Learning Outcomes

None.

Compatibility Mode

We have detected that you are have compatibility mode enabled or are using an old version of Internet Explorer. You either need to switch off compatibility mode for this site or upgrade your browser.