In this module, students will explore in depth the body of work produced by Oscar Wilde (1854-1900). His broad-ranging oeuvre includes poetry, short fiction, a novel, plays, and non-fiction prose including journalism, reviews, long-form essays, and epigrams; this generic variety means that Wilde’s body of work offers a unique route for studying literature of fin-de-siècle Britain. The module will proceed more or less chronologically through his works. Topics to be addressed will include biographical and historical contexts; composition, publication, and reception history; and the critical conversations responding to the author’s works through the present day.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
demonstrate knowledge and comprehension of Oscar’s Wilde’s oeuvre including fiction, plays, poetry and essays.
analyse in detail how Wilde responds to the socio-cultural, political, and industrial contexts of the late nineteenth-century.
demonstrate the ability to balance biographical information with textual criticism in the analysis and interpretation of literature.
produce convincing written analyses that articulate the relationship between Wilde, his works, and their socio-cultural milieu.
Assessment
39007-01 : Essay Intro 4 x 250 Words : Coursework (25%)
39007-02 : 2,500 Word Essay : Coursework (75%)