17317

SoSe 14: S-Surveying English Literatures II: Eighteenth-Century Gothic Fiction

Jeff Thoss

Comments

This course introduces students to one of the most enduring genres of English literature and a favoured haunt of virtuous maidens, lustful tyrants and gloomy castles, the Gothic novel. Specifically, it focuses on the genre's first heyday in the Eighteenth century, dealing with three foundational texts - Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto (1764), Ann Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) and Matthew Lewis's The Monk (1796) - complemented by a selection of criticism and theory. While practicing basic skills and methods of interpreting narrative texts, we will discuss the Gothic genre in connection to concepts such as the sublime, the fantastic or the uncanny, in the context of Sentimentalism, the Enlightenment, and Anti-Catholicism, as well as with regards to questions of gender, sexuality and transgression. Participants will have to meet the standard requirements: regular attendance, response papers and a short presentation are obligatory, credits can be obtained by submitting a term paper. Required texts: Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto; Ann Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho; Matthew Lewis, The Monk (recommended editions: Penguin Classics or Oxford World's Classics). NB: Gothic novels tend to be lengthy! I expect students to have read The Castle the Otrantoby the beginning of term. Getting a head start on The Mysteries of Udolpho during the term break will, in addition, help to keep the reading assignment manageable. close

12 Class schedule

Regular appointments

Thu, 10:00 - 12:00 12 Class schedule

Thu, 2014-04-17 10:00 - 12:00

Lecturers:
Dr. Jeff Thoss