Résumé de section
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This course provides a comprehensive exploration of British literature from the late eighteenth century to the contemporary period, examining major literary movements such as Romanticism, Victorian literature, Modernism, Postmodernism, and contemporary global writing. It focuses on how literary texts reflect and critically engage with historical, social, and cultural transformations, including industrialization, war, identity construction, and globalization.
Through the study of key authors and representative works, the course emphasizes the evolution of literary forms, narrative techniques, and thematic concerns. It highlights the shift from emotional and imaginative expression in Romanticism to social critique in Victorian realism, followed by fragmentation and experimentation in Modernism and Postmodernism.
By integrating critical theories such as feminism, postcolonialism, and cultural studies, the course encourages students to develop analytical and interpretive skills. Ultimately, it aims to foster a deeper understanding of literature as both an artistic practice and a powerful tool for interpreting the complexities of human experience in a changing world.
Keywords
British Literature; Romanticism; Victorian Literature; Modernism; Postmodernism; Globalization; Literary Analysis; Cultural Studies; Feminism; Postcolonialism
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Virtual Office Hours (BigBlueButton)
Students can meet with the instructor online every week to ask questions, clarify concepts, or discuss any difficulties related to the course.
⏰ Time: Every Monday from 14:00 to 15:00
📌 Access: No installation required - join directly through your browser.
ℹ️ Session Type: Open drop-in session. Students may join with questions or simply listen and learn with classmates.Support through Moodle
In addition to live sessions, students can communicate at any time through:
📢 Course Forum: For general or technical questions, idea sharing, and peer collaboration.
💬 Private Chat: For individual communication with the instructor directly via MoodleCourse InformationMohamed Lamine Debaghine University – Sétif 2📍 LocationDepartment of English Language and Literature, Faculty of Letters and languages🕒 Availability Hours• Sunday – (according to the schedule)• Wednesday – (according to the schedule)Academic Details🏫 FacultyLetters and languages🏢 SpecializationLiterature
Instructor & Contact👩🏫 InstructorDr. HAFSI MIRA📌 Academic RankMCA Associate Professor✉️ Email -
Students are expected to have a basic understanding of literary concepts and general reading skills acquired during their previous studies. They should be familiar with fundamental notions such as genre (poetry, prose, drama), basic literary devices (metaphor, symbolism, imagery), and simple text analysis.
In addition, students are expected to possess general knowledge of historical periods and cultural contexts, as well as the ability to read and understand texts in English at an intermediate level. These prior competencies will enable them to engage effectively with the course content and develop more advanced analytical and critical thinking skills in British literature.
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📘 Course RoadmapLecture 1
The Foundations of British Romanticism: Classical, Renaissance, and Enlightenment InfluencesLecture 2
The First-Generation Romantics: Wordsworth & ColeridgeLecture 3
The Second-Generation Romantics: Byron, Shelley, & KeatsLecture 4
The Gothic & The Romantic Novel: Mary Shelley & The BrontësLecture 5
The Industrial Revolution and Victorian Poetry: Tennyson and BrowningLecture 6
Realism and Social Critique: Dickens and George EliotLecture 7
Aestheticism and the Art for Art’s Sake Movement: Oscar WildeLecture 8
The Modernist Break: Gerard Manley Hopkins & H.G. WellsLecture 9
Stream of Consciousness and Psychological NarrativeLecture 10
T.S. Eliot and the Crisis of Meaning in Modern PoetryLecture 11
Postmodernism and Narrative Experimentation: John FowlesLecture 12
Feminism & Postcolonialism in British LiteratureLecture 13
Globalization and Contemporary British LiteratureLecture 14
The Future of British Literature in the 21st Century -
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Phase de remise ouverte : lundi 3 mars 2025, 19:09Phase de remise fermée : lundi 10 mars 2025, 19:09
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📚 List of References
Core bibliography and supplementary resources for the study of British Literature from Romanticism to Contemporary Writing.
📘 1. Foundational Texts in Literary History and Periodization
- Sanders, Andrew. The Short Oxford History of English Literature. Oxford University Press, 2004.
- Daiches, David. A Critical History of English Literature. Routledge, 2001.
- Ford, Boris (ed.). The Pelican Guide to English Literature (Volumes 5–8). Penguin Books, various editions.
- Alexander, Michael. A History of English Literature. Palgrave Macmillan, 2000.
- Waugh, Patricia (ed.). Literary Theory and Criticism: An Oxford Guide. Oxford University Press, 2006.
📝 2. Selected Primary Texts by Period
🌿 Romanticism (Week 1–3)
- William Blake. Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1794).
- William Wordsworth & Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Lyrical Ballads (1798).
- John Keats. Selected Odes (especially “Ode to a Nightingale”, “Ode on a Grecian Urn”).
- Percy Shelley. Ode to the West Wind.
- Lord Byron. Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.
🏛️ Victorian Literature (Week 4–6)
- Charles Dickens. Hard Times (1854).
- George Eliot. Middlemarch (1871–72).
- Alfred Tennyson. In Memoriam A.H.H.
- Robert Browning. My Last Duchess.
- Oscar Wilde. The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890); The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).
🌀 Modernism (Week 7–10)
- T.S. Eliot. The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (1915); The Waste Land (1922).
- Virginia Woolf. Mrs. Dalloway (1925).
- James Joyce. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916).
- Gerard Manley Hopkins. Selected Poems.
- H.G. Wells. The Time Machine (1895).
🌍 Postmodernism and Contemporary Literature (Week 11–14)
- John Fowles. The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1969).
- A.S. Byatt. Possession (1990).
- Doris Lessing. The Golden Notebook (1962).
📖 3. Critical and Contextual Studies
- Eagleton, Terry. Literary Theory: An Introduction. Blackwell, 1983.
- Abrams, M.H. The Mirror and the Lamp: Romantic Theory and the Critical Tradition. Oxford University Press, 1953.
- Leavis, F.R. The Great Tradition. Chatto & Windus, 1948.
- Gilbert, Sandra, and Susan Gubar. The Madwoman in the Attic. Yale University Press, 1979.
- Williams, Raymond. Culture and Society: 1780–1950. Columbia University Press, 1958.
- McGann, Jerome. The Romantic Ideology: A Critical Investigation. University of Chicago Press, 1983.
🔗 4. Optional Supplementary Resources
- The Cambridge Companion Series (e.g., to the Victorian Novel, to Modernism, etc.).
- Norton Anthologies of English Literature (selected volumes, useful for excerpts and shorter texts).
🌐 Open-access Digital Archives
