LIT637   Victorian Bodies   (30 credits)

Description

This module will address the representation of bodies (human and otherwise) in the literature of the Victorian period. It will explore intersecting issues of (for example) gender, race, empire, class, species, sexuality and (dis)ability in a variety of textual media and in relation to key historical, cultural and theoretical contexts. Topics may include (for example) the literary construction of gorillas; Egyptian mummy fiction; the male nude; Victorian freak shows; tattooed Victorians; and the labouring body. The aim is to encourage critical engagement with this key issue and to facilitate a deeper appreciation of the period¿s literature, culture and politics.

Reading List