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2022/23 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
ENGL3293 Victoria's Secrets: Secrecy in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture
20 creditsClass Size: 20
School of English
Module manager: Dr James Mussell
Email: j.e.p.mussell@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable
Year running 2022/23
This module is not approved as a discovery module
Objectives
To know a secret is not to tell someone something: but the pleasure we get from keeping secrets is often only realized when we tell. All narratives are acts of telling that defer the revelations of secrets to keep readers in suspense. All literary works then, embody secrecy in their form. Yet secrets also have a wider value in society. As withheld information, they ensure some people know more than others. Depending on the secret, this might give someone the edge over a rival in business or love, allow scandal to be concealed, or create the opportunity for blackmail. This course examines the role of secrecy in nineteenth-century literature and society.Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students will be able to:
Demonstrate understanding of secrecy as a concept through a range of theoretical and historical case studies;
Effectively analyse literature from across the nineteenth century;
Relate concepts of secrecy to their historical contexts;
Engage with nonliterary source material from the nineteenth century.
Syllabus
To know a secret is not to tell someone something: but the pleasure we get from keeping secrets is often only realized when we tell. All narratives are acts of telling that defer the revelations of secrets to keep readers in suspense. All literary works then, embody secrecy in their form. Yet secrets also have a wider value in society. As withheld information, they ensure some people know more than others. Depending on the secret, this might give someone the edge over a rival in business or love, allow scandal to be concealed, or create the opportunity for blackmail. This course examines the role of secrecy in nineteenth-century literature and society.
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Workshop | 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
Reading, seminar preparation, essay writing.Opportunities for Formative Feedback
- Seminar contribution.- Feedback on unassessed essay
Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Essay | 4000 words (including quotations and footnotes). One unassessed essay of 1700 words is also 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). | 100.00 |
| Essay | Unassessed, 1700 words | 0.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100.00 | |
One unassessed essay of 1700 words is required which will be returned individually. 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: 29/04/2022 15:24:13
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