2008/09 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
ENGL3363 Victorian Women's Writing
20 creditsClass Size: 10
School of English
Module manager: Dr Beth Palmer
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2008/09
This module is not approved as an Elective
Objectives
To deepen critical and contextual (historical, political, cultural) understanding of a range of Victorian texts (including fiction and poetry). To deepen an understanding of influence of gender in the Victorian literary marketplace and, beyond that, of the contextual forces shaping imaginative creation; to develop further understanding of feminist critical histories of Victorian writing from a contemporary and historicized perception.Learning outcomes
Students will have developed:
- the ability to use written and oral communication effectively;
- the capacity to analyse and critically examine diverse forms of discourse;
- the ability to manage quantities of complex information in a structured and systematic way;
- the capacity for independent thought and judgement;
- critical reasoning;
- research skills, including the retrieval of information, the organisation of material and the evaluation of its importance;
- IT skills;
- efficient time management and organisation skills;
- the ability to learn independently.
Skills outcomes
Skills for effective communication, oral and written.
Capacity to analyse and critically examine diverse forms of discourse.
Ability to acquire quantities of complex information of diverse kinds in a structured and systematic way.
Capacity for independent thought and judgement.
Critical reasoning.
Research skills, including information retrieval skills, the organisation of material, and the evaluation of its importance.
IT skills.
Time management and organisational skills.
Independent learning.
Syllabus
An increasing (and increasingly powerful) number of women became professional writers in the Victorian period. In the early decades of the period women writers negotiated strategically with the gendered expectations of the literary marketplace. By the end of the century, while these negotiations were ongoing, women were publishing texts that challenged afresh the boundaries of female behaviour through experimental modes of narrative. However, the story of women's writing in the nineteenth century is not a simple trajectory towards empowerment. This module will trace out the variety of ways in which women poets and prose writers sought to express, or sometimes repress, female experience. These texts will be analysed in the context of modulating social and cultural ideas about female behaviour, education, and sexuality in Victorian society.
One unassessed essay of 1700 words is required. This does not form part of the assessment for this module, but is a requirement and MUST be submitted. Students who fail to submit the unassessed essay will be awarded a maximum mark of 40 for the module (a bare Pass).
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Meetings | 5 | 1.00 | 5.00 |
| Seminar | 10 | 1.00 | 10.00 |
| Private study hours | 185.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 15.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200.00 | ||
Private study
Teaching will be through weekly seminars (10 x 1 hour) plus up to 5 additional hours (content to be determined by the module tutor). The 5 additional hours may include lectures, plenary sessions, film showings, or the return of unassessed/assessed essays.Private Study: Reading, seminar preparation and essay writing.
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
Contribution to seminars1 x 1,700 word unassessed essay
Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Essay | 4,000 words | 100.00 |
| Essay | One unassessed essay of 1,700 words is required. This does not form part of the assessment for this module, but is a requirement and MUST be submitted. Students who fail to submit the unassessed essay will be awarded a maximum mark of 40 for the module (a bare Pass). | 0.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 | |
One unassessed essay of 1700 words is required. This does not form part of the assessment for this module, but is a requirement and MUST be submitted. Students who fail to submit the unassessed essay will be awarded a maximum mark of 40 for the module (a bare Pass).
Reading list
The reading list is available from the Library websiteLast updated: 24/04/2008
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