This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
Encounter the vast complexity of one of the greatest novels of English literary history. In George Eliot’s Middlemarch, A Study of Provincial Life (1871-2) we will delve into a wide range of historical issues, such as the status of women in society, the nature of marriage, humanism and idealism, religion, political reform, developments in industry, medicine, and education.
Total classes: 6 weeks of classes (Students can also sign up for an optional literary essay with 6 weeks to complete).
Prerequisite: Has attended at least one Literature Class previously. Read Book I of Middlemarch before Class 1.
Suggested grade level: 11th to 12th
Suggested credit: 1/2-semester Literature or Victorian Literature
Description
Encounter the vast complexity of one of the greatest novels of English literary history. In George Eliot’s Middlemarch, A Study of Provincial Life (1871-2) we will delve into a wide range of historical issues, such as the status of women in society, the nature of marriage, humanism and idealism, religion, political reform, developments in industry, medicine, and education—all through the lens of the eventful and socially tumultuous English 1830s. In addition to cultivating artistic appreciation and a love of reading, this class facilitates the development of critical reasoning, the disciplined use of the imagination, and a strong knowledge of historical and literary context.
Outline
Week 1: Introduction, Middlemarch, Book I.
Week 2: Introduction, Middlemarch, Books II-III.
Week 3: Introduction, Middlemarch, Book IV-V.
Week 4: Introduction, Middlemarch, Book VI.
Week 5: Introduction, Middlemarch, Book VII.
Week 6: Introduction, Middlemarch, Book VIII.
Materials and Homework
Course Materials: (Penguin, Oxford, or Dover editions recommended; other editions accepted)
George Eliot’s Middlemarch
Homework: 3 hours reading per week, 1 identification quiz per week; miscellaneous small assignments. A literary-critical writing project opportunity is available for extra credit.
