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2021/22 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

ENGL3293 Victoria's Secrets: Secrecy in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture

20 creditsClass Size: 33

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 2021/22

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 typeNumberLength hoursStudent hours
Workshop51.005.00
Seminar101.0010.00
Private study hours185.00
Total Contact hours15.00
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 typeNotes% of formal assessment
Essay4000 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
EssayUnassessed, 1700 words0.00
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 website

Last updated: 30/06/2021 10:18:04

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