Module Code and Title:            LIT207 The Evolution of the Novel: From Origins to Realism

Programme:                          BA in English Studies

Credit Value:                         12

Module Tutor:                       Vanlallawmkimi, Runa Chakraborty, Sonam Deki

Module Coordinator:            Vanlallawmkimi

General objective: This module will introduce students to the novel from its genesis in the seventeenth century to the realist period of the nineteenth century. By the end of the module, students will have a grasp of how the novel evolved during this period. They will become familiar with the conventions of a number of sub-genres of the novel, including the Gothic novel, the Bildungsroman, the Picaresque novel, the epistolary novel, and social realism. Students will be able to relate the texts studied to broader literary periods and movements, including Romanticism and Realism. Finally, students will understand the modes of narration of novels in these periods.

Learning outcomes – On completion of this module, learners should be able to:

1. Describe the evolution of the novel during this period.
2. Differentiate the sub-genres of novels from the 17^th to 19^th
3. Explain how the novels comment on the periods in which they were produced.
4. Analyse how the periods in question contributed to the production of specific types of novel.
5. Engage in critical and theoretical debates around the novels studied.
6. Discuss the styles and significance of the authors studied in the module.
7. Make inter-textual connections among the prescribed texts.

Learning and Teaching Approach:

Assessment Approach:

A. Written assignment: Portion of Final Marks: 20%

A critical essay of 500 – 600 words. The first draft will be marked out of 5%, and the final submission out of 10%, of which 5% percent will be allotted to specific improvements made on the feedback received on the first draft. Assessment will be based on the ‘Analytical Writing’ rubric.

B. Group project: Portion of Final Mark: 20%

Students will be divided into groups of 4, and each group will be assigned a novel. They will choose one aspect of that novel, which might be a theme, feature of its style, or an element of the plot. They will devise and run close reading activities to illustrate this aspect to the rest of the class. Assessment will be based on the ‘Oral Tasks’ rubric.

C. Class Test: Portion of Final Marks: 10%

A test of 45 minutes will be held within class hours. This will test students' knowledge and understanding of the texts, and the characteristics of the movements and sub-genres covered in the module.

D. Class participation and preparedness: Portion of Final Mark: 10%

Students will be expected to participate substantially in class discussions, with contributions reflecting adequate preparation for topics under discussion. Assessment will be based on the ‘Participation and Preparedness’ rubric.

E. Midterm Examination: Portion of Final Mark: 10%

Students will take a written exam of 1.5 hr duration covering topics up to the mid-point of the semester. 

Pre-requisites: LIT104 The Social and Literary Context: Anglo-Saxon to Restoration Period

Subject matter:

1. The genesis of the novel: Close reading and analysis of Oronooko
   • Historical context
     • Slavery
     • Colonisation
     • The situation of female writers
   • Narrative technique in Oroonoko
     • Behn’s use of fact, biography, and fiction
   • Overview of the novel as a genre
     • Definition of the novel
     • Distinguishing features of the novel
     • Social and cultural conditions related to the genesis of the novel

1. The rise of the novel: Close reading and analysis of Tristram Shandy
   • Historical context
     • Increasing literacy and its implications
     • The impact of the printing press
     • Other social and cultural conditions related to the rise of the novel
   • Narrative technique and genre
     • Features of the Picaresque novel
     • Features of the Bildungsroman

1. Romanticism: Close reading and analysis of Frankenstein
   • Social and political context
     • Scientific progress
     • The political climate following the French Revolution
     • The political stance of the Romantic writers
   • Narrative technique and genre
     • Features of the Gothic novel
     • Features of the epistolary novel

1. The Victorian novel: Close reading and analysis of Hard Times
   • Social and historical context
     • The status of women
     • The portrayal of the working class
     • The novel as social protest
   • Narrative technique and genre
     • Features of social realism
     • Analysis of the prose style of Victorian fiction and social change

Reading List:

1. Essential Reading
   • Abrams, M.H. (2003). A Glossary of Literary Terms. Singapore: Thomson Asia.
   • Behn, A. (2010). W. W. Norton & Company.
   • Evans, I. (1990). A Short History of English Literature. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/AShortHistoryOfEnglishLiteratureIforEvans
   • Shelley, M. (2008). Peacock.
   • Stern, L. (1996). Tristram Shandy. Wordswoth.
   • Dicken, C. (1985) Hard Times. Maple Press Pvt. Ltd.
2. Additional Reading
   • Bakhtin, M. M., ‘Discourse in the novel’ and ‘Epic and novel’ in The Dialogic Imagination (extracts).
   • Miller, J. H, (n.d.). On literature. Retrieved from http://www.academia.edu/4992700/J_Hillis_Miller_-_On_Literature_Thinking_in_Action
   • Moretti, F. (2008). ‘The novel: history and theory’ in New Left Review
   • Watt, I. (1957). The rise of the novel. Random House.

Date: December 20, 2015