Fin de siecle writers: Oscar Wilde to Olive Schreiner
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.
This course has now finished
- Course Code: HLT157
- Dates: 29/01/24 - 18/03/24
- Time: 18:00 - 19:30
- Taught: Mon, Evening
- Duration: 8 sessions (over 8 weeks)
- Location: Online
- Tutor: Megan Beech
Course Code: HLT157
Duration: 8 sessions (over 8 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Center for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
The 1890s was a time of literary innovation, epitomised by a figure like Oscar Wilde, in which the 'new' was championed. This course focuses on a range of literature, exploring this period to consider the ways in which aesthetics and politics intersect. What is art for art's sake? Why were gender and sexuality so hotly discussed? How was empire imagined by the end of the century? We will examine ideas around Aestheticism, decadence, degeneration, radical politics, urbanism and empire. From the 'New Woman' to the 'New Journalism' and the 'New Drama', we will look closely at what makes this period enduring in our cultural imagination and how it influenced writers and artists of this age and beyond. Over 8 weeks we will explore and analyse a full range of texts which show how vibrant the innovative writers, new ideas, and radical energy were in this period.
This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.
What will we cover?
1) What is the Fin de Siècle?: Preface to Dorian Gray and other short extracts
2) Fin de Siècle drama: Salome
3) Poetry and the Fin de Siècle: Charlotte Mew, Rosamund Marriott Watson, Arthur Symons
4) Empire and The Fin de Siècle: Kate Chopin, An Egyptian cigarette and other short extracts
5) The Picture of Dorian Gray: Week One – Masculinity and Sexuality
6) The Picture of Dorian Gray: Week Two – Aesthetics and Influence
7) “The New Woman” and Sexuality: Week One – George Bernard Shaw – Mrs Warren’s Profession
8) “The New Woman”: Week Two - Olive Schreiner - ‘Three Dreams in the Desert’ and ‘The Buddhist Priest’s Wife’
The two texts which are of a longer length and perhaps should be read in advance in preparation for the course/ the corresponding week of the course.
Oscar Wilde, Salomé
Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Have an understanding, and appreciation, of the cultural context which produced fin de siècle.
• Identify key tropes which define this genre of writing.
• Analyse different forms of texts and media critically.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is for anyone who is interested in the subject. The course is suitable for all levels and you do not require any particular skills - just an enthusiasm for literature and a willingness to contribute to discussions. The course will provide an introduction to the subject but will also be useful for those wishing to build on existing knowledge in the subject area.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
The class will largely be taught through mini lectures, class discussions and group work.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
All material will be provided by the tutor and will be available on Google Classroom.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Look for other Literature courses under History, Culture and Writing on our website at www.citylit.ac.uk.