Explore the 19th-Century English Novel: A Postgraduate Course Guide | IIT Madras

Course Details

Journey into the Victorian Mind: A Guide to the Nineteenth-Century English Novel

The nineteenth century was a golden age for the English novel. It was a period of unprecedented social change, industrial revolution, and intellectual ferment, all of which found vivid expression in the pages of its fiction. From the elegant drawing rooms of Jane Austen to the fog-bound streets of Dickens's London and the psychological depths of Stevenson's gothic tale, the novel became the dominant literary form for exploring the human condition.

This detailed guide outlines a comprehensive 12-week postgraduate course, led by an expert from IIT Madras, designed to take you on a deep dive into this fascinating literary landscape.

About the Course

The Nineteenth-Century Novel course introduces students to the genre at its height in nineteenth-century Britain. Through a close, sustained study of significant novels, you will unravel the nature of their complex plots and understand how they are intricately woven with the social, cultural, and political impulses of the era. The course moves beyond simple plot summary to engage with the novels' formal innovations, ideological underpinnings, and enduring legacy.

Your Expert Instructor: Prof. A. Divya

This course is led by Prof. A. Divya, an Assistant Professor in English Literature at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras. Prof. Divya brings a rich and specialized academic background to this subject:

• Education: Holds a Master of Studies in Early Modern English Literature from the University of Oxford and a PhD in Nineteenth-Century English Fiction from Nanyang Technological University.
• Research Expertise: Her research interests include gender, domesticity, spatiality, urbanism, and the interplay between visual and literary arts.
• Published Work: She has published scholarly work on major figures like Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, Wilkie Collins, and the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.
• Current Project: Prof. Divya is currently researching the British colonial visual culture of Nineteenth-Century India, offering a unique postcolonial perspective on the period.

Course Details at a Glance

Weekly Course Layout: A Structured Literary Journey

The course is meticulously structured to provide a thorough examination of three landmark texts, allowing for detailed weekly analysis.

Part 1: Jane Austen's Persuasion (Weeks 1-4)

We begin at the dawn of the century with Jane Austen's final completed novel, a mature work that moves from the comedy of manners to a deeper exploration of regret, second chances, and social mobility.

• Weeks 1 & 2: Volume I - Analysis of the Elliot family, the weight of social persuasion, and the re-introduction of Captain Wentworth.
• Weeks 3 & 4: Volume II - The climax at Lyme Regis, the complexities of resolution, and Austen's commentary on constancy and worth.

Part 2: Charles Dickens's A Tale of Two Cities (Weeks 5-9)

Jumping to the mid-century, we confront the historical novel and its engagement with revolution, sacrifice, and duality. Dickens's epic tale of London and Paris during the French Revolution serves as a powerful lens on violence, justice, and resurrection.

• Weeks 5-7: Book I & II - Introduction to the two cities, the mystery of Dr. Manette, and the escalating tension leading to the French Revolution.
• Weeks 8 & 9: Book II (conclusion) & Book III - The storming of the Bastille, the trials, and the ultimate themes of sacrifice and redemption.

Part 3: R.L. Stevenson's Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Weeks 10-12)

We conclude the century with a descent into the Gothic and the psychological. Stevenson's novella explores the duality of human nature, the limits of scientific ambition, and the repressed anxieties of the late-Victorian era.

• Week 10: Chapters 1-4 - Establishing the mystery, the character of Mr. Hyde, and the growing horror through Mr. Utterson's perspective.
• Weeks 11 & 12: Chapters 5-10 - The unraveling of the mystery through documentary evidence, Jekyll's full statement, and the novel's profound philosophical implications.

Essential Secondary Reading

To fully engage with the theoretical frameworks surrounding the novel, the course recommends engagement with these critical texts:

• Armstrong, Nancy - Desire and Domestic Fiction
• Bakhtin, Mikhail - The Dialogic Imagination
• Brooks, Peter - Reading for the Plot
• Miller, D.A. - The Novel and the Police
• Williams, Raymond - The Country and the City

This course offers a unique opportunity to study the nineteenth-century English novel with academic rigor under expert guidance. It is ideal for postgraduate students, faculty, and serious literature enthusiasts seeking to understand how the novels of Austen, Dickens, and Stevenson not only reflected their world but also helped to shape the modern novel and our understanding of society itself.

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