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Victorian Radicals, Revolution & Reform (ENGL20025)
Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5Not available in 2019
Overview
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This subject introduces nineteenth century political writing, tracing the cultures of radicalism, reaction and liberal reform that punctuated Queen Victoria’s reign. It focuses on the age of mass resistance, and the often fearful reactions that dissent inspired in social and political elites. Dickens’s A Tale of Two Cities exemplifies the terror reverberating throughout the Victorian period, with its graphic crowd scenes and depictions of an underclass in revolt. We will examine literary responses to political issues including Chartism, European Revolutions, the Indian Mutiny‚ working-class radicalism, the Irish Question, and the emergence of the women’s movement. Students will address the rise of realism and its overtly political agenda. They will consider fiction, poetry and political prose to discover how these different media informed each other. Students will encounter polemical writing alongside well-known canonical texts to gain an overview of the political climate of the long Victorian period. On completion of this subject students will have gained an understanding of how this time of great change and uncertainty was captured in poetry and prose.
Intended learning outcomes
On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- demonstrate a detailed knowledge of writing of the ‘long’ nineteenth century from 1837 to the 1901;
- articulate an understanding of the social, political and economic contexts of a range of canonical nineteenth-century texts;
- apply high-level analysis, conceptual sophistication and critical thinking to the study of nineteenth-century writing of revolution and reform;
- contribute to the understanding of nineteenth-century writing in ways that engage the interests of the discipline of literary studies;
- communicate effectively an understanding of nineteenth-century literature and its contexts in both written and oral formats; and
- have an understanding of how to act as critically informed participants within a community of literature scholars.
Generic skills
At the completion of this subject, students should acquire the following generic skills:
- research: through competent use of library, and other (including online) information sources; through the successful definition of areas of inquiry and methods of research;
- critical thinking and analysis: through use of recommended reading, essay writing and tutorial discussion; through the questioning of accepted wisdom and the ability to shape and strengthen persuasive judgments and arguments; through attention to detail in reading material; and through openness to new ideas and the development of critical self-awareness;
- theoretical thinking: through use of recommended reading, essay writing and tutorial discussion; through a productive engagement with relevant methodologies and paradigms in literary studies and the broader humanities;
- creative thinking: through essay writing and tutorial discussion; through the innovative conceptualising of problems and an appreciation of the role of creativity in critical analysis;
- social, ethical and cultural understanding: through use of recommended reading, essay writing and tutorial discussion; through the social contextualization of arguments and judgments; through adaptations of knowledge to new situations and openness to new ideas; through the development of critical self-awareness in relation to an understanding of other cultures and practices.
- intelligent and effective communication of knowledge and ideas: through essay preparation, planning and writing as well as tutorial discussion. through effective dissemination of ideas from recommended reading and other relevant information sources. through clear definition of areas of inquiry and methods of research. through confidence to express ideas in public forums;
- time management and planning: through the successful organization of workloads; through disciplined self-direction and the ability to meet deadlines.
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
106-230 Reverberations of Terror: 1789-1900
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Assessment
Additional details
- A 1,500 word essay (40%), due mid-semester
- A 2,500 word essay (60%), due in the examination period
- Hurdle: This subject has a minimum hurdle requirement of 75% attendance and regular participation in tutorials as well as a class presentation. Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10% per day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject.
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Dates & times
Not available in 2019
Time commitment details
170 hours
Last updated: 11 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
- Mary Barton, Elizabeth Gaskell
- Chartist poetry
- A Tale of Two Cities, Dickens
- Blind Love, Collins
- The Napoleon of Notting Hill, G.K. Chesterton
- The Secret Agent, Conrad
- Subject notes
Students who have completed 673-345 Reverberations of Terror: 1789-1900 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Specialisation (formal) English and Theatre Studies Specialisation (formal) English and Theatre Studies Major English and Theatre Studies - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 11 April 2024