University of Bahrain

College of Arts
Department of English Language and Literature

ENGL 315 English Literature and Culture III

Dr. Faten Morsy
Office: S17-264

Course Description:
The course is a study of English Literature from the Victorian to the Modern period, focusing on
various representative literary texts within their historical and cultural contexts.

- Introduce students to the relevant cultural, political and social developments from the earlier
1800s to the mid-twentieth century.
- Situate and study selected literary works against this background.
- Develop an appreciation of major authors and literary authors and trends. .
- Build an awareness of change, both in society and in literary texts, which occurred with the
passing of time.

Learning Outcomes:

- Understanding the political, cultural and literary background.

- Familiarity with the major authors and works of the period.
- The ability to analyze and comment on the texts dealt with during the
Course of the semester.
- Demonstrating an awareness of the inter-relationship between culture (in its broad sense)
and literature.

Course Material:

The Norton Anthology of English Literature, V 01. II

Evaluation:

20% Test 1
20% Test 2
10% Assignments - participation
50% Final Examination

www.umm.biz – www.mbsee.info – www.english-club.org

Course Reading:

The Nineteenth Century:

1. Introduction to the Victorian Period: Cultural and Literary Background

(Anthology, pp. 979.999)
2. Norton Anthology Online: Victorian Issues: Industrialism: The Woman
Question! Victorian Imperialism
3. Thomas Carlyle: Essay on his life and achievements (student's home Reading); "Captains of
Industry"; "The Hero as Prophet: Mahomet" (handout)
4. John Stuart Mill: "The Subjection of Women"
5. Elizabeth Barrett Browning: Poem "The Cry of Children"-Compare with
Blake's "The Chimney Sweeper".
6. Tennyson: "The Lady of Shallott", "from "the Princess"
7. Fitzgerald: "Omar Khayyam"
8. Matthew Arnold : "Culture and Anarchy"; "Dover Beach"; "The Function of
Criticism
9. Charles Dickens "A Visit.to Newgate "
10. Victorian Issues pp. l538_ l871/ pp. l564_l574
11. Empire and National Identity 1607-1609

The Twentieth Century:

1. Introduction: 'The Rise and Fall of Empire"
2. Thomas Hardy and D.R Lawrence (two short stories, handouts). "Why the Novel Matters" pp.
2269-2273
3. E.M.Forster: Extract, A Passage to India
4. T.S. Eliot: "The Wasteland"
S' W.B.Yeats, "Easter 1916", "Sailing to Byzantium"
6. Virginia Woolf, "A Room of One's Own"; "Women and Ficiton"
7. James Joyce: Extract: "A Portrait of the Artist"
8. Beckett: Waiting for Godot

www.umm.biz – www.mbsee.info – www.english-club.org