Food and Drink in the Mid-Victorian Novel: Wuthering Heights, North & South, Great Expectations

What is the course about?

This in-college literature course focuses on three major works of nineteenth-century fiction and the political, social, cultural and economic contexts in which they were written and read. It explores how the domestic familiarity of eating and drinking can be employed to articulate complex issues surrounding class identity, social responsibility, religious faith and psychological disturbance.

The course will examine episodes involving eating and drinking in the three set novels and what they reveal about the rituals of Victorian domestic life, and the cultures and communities in which the fiction is situated.  Our study of literature will be illuminated by extracts from contemporaneous non-fiction works such as etiquette books and household manuals, as well as influential works of political philosophy.

What will we cover?

The literary critic, Terry Eagleton, observed that ‘If there is one thing about food, it is that it is never just food’. Indeed, as we will explore through our study of the three set novels, food and drink in Victorian fiction is associated with a diverse range of emotional states: from erotic desire to social discomfort to violent rage. We will consider the significance of the giving, withholding and refusal of food, as well as the threats posed by the disruption of culinary routines. Published in a period when fear of revolution and the threat of food shortages and mass starvation loomed large, we will also investigate the ways in which literature can reflect the political through the personal.

We will think through some intriguing text-specific questions. Why does Pip in Great Expectations stay with the starving Magwitch as he eats the provisions stolen from Mrs Joe’s kitchen? Why is Heathcliff unable to eat and drink at the end of Wuthering Heights? Why does Gaskell rarely mention the food and drink consumed at the dinner parties that punctuate North and South? As the course progresses, we will make connections across the three works in focus, analysing, for example, how the authors differ in their presentation of the afternoon tea ritual, and how the notion of the ‘gentleman’ is revealed by when, where, what and how a meal is taken.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

• Understand how authors use food and drink to develop theme, character and social commentary in their fiction
• Appreciate the significance of the historical, social and literary contexts in which the mid-Victorian novel was produced
• Identify the key characteristics of the realist novel
• Analyse a range of narrative techniques

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

You will need an enthusiasm for reading and discussing Victorian fiction and an interest in hearing the views of others.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

There will be a mixture of tutor presentation and small and whole-group discussion. You need to be willing to do some preparatory reading before each session and this will be set out for you at the start of the course. If you wish, you can read one or more of the novels in advance of the course beginning, but you are not required to do so.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

You will need to buy or borrow copies of the three set novels. Any edition will be suitable, though those published in the following series are highly recommended: Penguin Classics; Oxford World’s Classics; Wordsworth Classics. All other materials will be provided by the tutor.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Look for other Fiction courses in our Literature programme under History, Culture and Humanities/Literature/Fiction at www.citylit.ac.uk.