Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas

19th Century English Culture - 2nd semester

Code

711121005

Academic unit

Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas

Department

Línguas, Culturas e Literaturas Modernas, Secção de Estudos Ingleses e Norte-Americanos

Credits

6

Teacher in charge

João Paulo Pereira da Silva

Weekly hours

4

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

a) To acquire a good knowledge of 19th century British culture.
b) To develop research and debating skills in 19th century cultural topics.
c) To identify the influence of 19th century Britain in its own time and the modernity of the Victorian legacy.

Prerequisites

None.

Subject matter

1. Historical and cultural introduction.
1.1. Facts and personalities.
1.2. Concepts and themes.
2. Political reform and economic revolution in 19th century Britain.
2.1. Political ideologies and the evolution of suffrage.
2.2. Utilitarianism and free trade.
2.3. Expansionism and imperialism.
3. Scientific debate and artistic intervention in Victorian culture.
3.1 Scientific and technological progress.
3.2. Creationism and evolutionary theory.
3.3. Artistic and aesthetic trends.
4. Tradition and modernity.
4.1. Contemporary representations of 19th century British culture.
4.2. The Victorian legacy.

Bibliography

- Boyd, K. & McWilliam, R. (Eds.) (2007). The Victorian Studies Reader. London and New York: Routledge.
- Harvie, C. & Matthew, H. C. G. [2000] (2005). Nineteenth-Century Britain: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- O’Gorman, F. (Ed.) (2010). The Cambridge Companion to Victorian Culture. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Ramos, I. F. (2014). Matrizes Culturais: Notas para um Estudo da Era Vitoriana. Lisboa: Edições Colibri.

- Wilson, A. N. (2003). The Victorians. London: Arrow Books.



Teaching method

Presentation of the topics of the course syllabus by the lecturer; interactive methodology, based on audiovisual resources and support texts, and contributions by the students based on the reading of primary sources and contemporary analyses for oral presentation and/or group discussion; tutorial supervision of the critical readings and the thematic and bibliographical research tasks; to do a test in the form of a short essay on the course syllabus.

Evaluation method

Evaluation: short critical readings and/or thematic and bibliographical research tasks for oral presentation in class (40%); a written test / critical essay (60%).

Courses