There are no pre-requisites for this module to be added

In this module we will explore key topics concerning expectations based on physical appearance, gender and race, and forms of prejudice and discrimination (or what we now understand as discrimination) in literature from the long eighteenth century (1688–1815). The history and literature of the eighteenth century is largely absent from modern Britain’s understanding of itself, and yet feeds into our broader ideas regarding cultural identity. Considering a broad scope of literary genres, including early novels, poetry, and non-canonical texts, you will investigate the ways ideas about physical appearance, behaviours and identities, gender, class, racial differences and disability influenced literature in the period, and many of our ideas about these subjects today. Each week you will explore the primary materials alongside relevant critical research, and discuss the topic in its original social and cultural contexts. Through close reading and analysis, you will evaluate the rich and varied responses to forms of prejudice throughout the long-eighteenth century and form your own critical assessments. In this module you will address sensitive subjects in the context of the period, including discrimination, racism, slavery, and scenes of rape. The module has been designed to tackle these topics with consideration and build your confidence in critical, literary, and historical analysis.

Upon completion of this module you will be able to

LO1: Develop a well-informed understanding of different historical contexts concerning prejudices in eighteenth-century literature and hypothesise how they have been culturally and historically constructed.

LO2: Accurately assess the module’s primary literature through close reading and textual analysis.

LO3: Make effective use of and critically reflect upon a range of theoretical responses and scholarship to advance your understanding and analysis of the module’s primary texts.

LO4: Appraise and evaluate key trends and social beliefs to form connections between the different forms of prejudice in eighteenth-century literature and synthesise these connections in your assessments and research.