EGL 224 - 19th-Century Novel

Course Units: 1.0

This course on the 19th-century novel is an experiment in slow reading. According to David Mikics, “Reading better means reading more slowly. There is a quiet movement afoot on behalf of slowness: slow cooking, slow thinking, and yes, slow reading. In reaction against the breathless pace of our computer-driven world, writers on social trends have begun to extol the virtues of a more meditative, involved approach to many parts of our lives, and reading is no exception” (1). Together, we will spend the term slowly reading and rereading one substantial Victorian novel, focusing on slow reading as both experience and methodology. In addition to the novel, we will read around it: digging into primary and secondary source material to build a complete portrait of the novel itself, the cultural landscape that surrounded it, and its critical and artistic legacy. Prerequisite(s): One 100-level English course or a score of 5 on the AP English Language or Literature and Composition test. CC: HUL, HUM, WAC ISP: GSWS