Literary Science
We consider a range of fiction, including Frankenstein by Mary shelley, Angles and Insects by AS Byatt, Copenhagen by Michael Frayn and Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro.
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- Start Date: 22 Sep 2025End Date: 01 Dec 2025Mon (Daytime): 10:30 - 12:30In PersonLocation: Keeley StreetDuration: 10 sessions (over -11 weeks)Course Code: HLT170Tutors: Julian BirkettFull fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00
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What is the course about?
Since the 19thC, writers and artists have found inspiration in the dramatic scientific developments of their day. From the moment young Victor Frankenstein threw the switch that animated his man-monster, the possibilities and terrors unleashed by modern science have been the foundation of some of the most thought provoking literature in the English language.
What will we cover?
Don’t panic: you won’t need to actually understand the complexities of modern science. We’ll be looking at how these ideas have infiltrated literature in five key works, from the stunningly written Frankenstein, which came to the 18 year old Mary Shelley in a nightmare; AS Byatt’s Angels and Insects, a fascinating exploration of how Darwin and evolution undermined the certainties of the Victorian mind; to Michael Frayn’s Olivier-winning theatrical masterpiece Copenhagen, about a profoundly resonant meeting in 1941 between top atomic physicists Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg; and Kazuo Ishiguro’s recent intriguing depiction of a troubled “Artificial Friend” (ie humanoid robot) in Klara and the Sun, which The Observer called “a work that makes us feel afresh the beauty and fragility of our humanity”.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Have a grasp of some current trends and issues in modern literature
Read books you might not have considered before
Focus on key points when discussing a literary work.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
No previous knowledge or experience of literature is necessary. However, course members will, ideally, have:
-An enthusiasm for reading and discussing a range of texts in large and small groups.
-A willingness and ability to do some reading and preparation outside the class. You will be expected to read the selected novel for each session.
-An interest in, and ability to listen to, the responses of other students to the work discussed.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
In each session there will be a brief introduction by the tutor followed by an informal but focused discussion of the novel. Background reading will be provided. Where appropriate there will be videos and other illustrations.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Students should buy or borrow the following editions of the texts:
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley(Penguin Classics ed Maurice Hindle)
Angels and Insects by AS Byatt (Vintage)
Copenhagen by Michael Frayn (any edition)
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro (Faber)
Fifth text TBA.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Julian Birkett will also be teaching HLT126 - Victorian Visions - starting on Tuesdays in September 2025.
Check out other Literature courses under History, Culture and Writing/Literature/Fiction at www.citylit.ac.uk.
Julian Birkett is a teacher and writer specialising in modern literature. He previously worked in the Arts department at the BBC as a producer of series such as The Late Show, Modern Poets in their Own Words, The Victorians and The Culture Show. He has taught in London and at the University of Mumbai.He aims to create a friendly but thoughtful atmosphere in his City Lit classes and to provide a stimulating variety of activities from tutor input to discussion to group work and video clips.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.