This module introduces students to the literature and theory of the Romantic movement, roughly 1780 to the 1840s. Students read canonical works of Romanticism by such figures as Wordsworth and Coleridge, Schelling and Fichte, Schopenhauer and Poe, Dorothy Wordsworth and Charlotte Smith, Keats and Shelley, Emerson and Thoreau, and others. Discussing issues of politics, philosophy, literature and language, revolution, gender, and genre, we explore the coherence and diversity of Romanticism – then and now. How, we ask, do Romantic artists represent a significantly different world-view to our own, and how do they justify that view? How do they register their changing world, and how do they respond? The module builds on the skills modules at Level 1, and is essential to an overview of literary history, supporting further literary study.
A. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of key texts of the Romantic period
B. Situate these texts within historical, intellectual, philosophical and other cultural contexts
C. Perform close literary and language-centered analysis of these texts
D. Relate this literature to relevant themes and ideas in literary criticism
The teaching sessions are divided into two components (Lectures and Seminars). Lectures which will offer information on the background, context and types of text being studied as well as ideas about how they might be read and understood. Seminars link the lecture material to specific texts, give the students time to discuss specific passages and texts in detail, and provide opportunities for learners to develop their own interpretations, and enhance the skills of reading comprehension, language analysis, and critical writing on literary subjects. Seminars will also provide continuous guidance on the use and abuse of generative AI in the production of coursework assessments.