In this module you will be introduced to many of the important literary works produced in America before the twentieth century. The course spans a broad range of literary genres and contexts, from the aftermath of the Revolution to the Progressive Era. We will investigate the changing definitions of what it means to be an American from divergent literary voices, including European immigrants, proto-feminists, and enslaved African Americans. By the end of the module you will gain a greater understanding of nineteenth-century America’s literary history and its surrounding critical debates. The module utilises a broadly chronological structure, which enables you to trace key historical themes—such as citizenship, colonialism, gender inequality, and slavery—across 120 years of American literature and culture, while attending to how writers respond to social change through developing literary forms such as the romance, the short story, and the slave narrative.
The module is taught through a combination of whole cohort and small group sessions. In the whole cohort sessions you will learn important contextual information on American literature of the period, ask your lecturer questions and in the small group sessions you will develop your critical analysis through close reading and discussion. The module is assessed through an essay and take home exam; whole cohort sessions will support your essay writing and revision.