VANIER COLLEGE
FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND GENERAL STUDIES: ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
Course Title: Sexual Anarchy and Decadence in Late Victorian Society
Course Number: 603-103-02 Section 1891
Course Hours Per Week: 10 Hours per week
Teacher: Beverly Fraser
Office: D-503, Ext. 7465
Office Hours: Mon. 9:00-10:00 Thurs.10:00-12:00; or by appointment.
Email address: fraserb@fclass.vaniercollege.qc.ca
Course Description:
The prime focus of this course will be the themes of gender identity and class conflict as
they are represented in the literature of the period known as the fin de siecle at the end of
the 19th century in England. Particular focus will be placed on the New Woman, the
Decadent and the Dandy. These so-called rebels or deviants in society wee seen as
challenging the classic Victorian definitions of femininity and masculinity contributing to
the evolution of a more “effeminate” society and culture. This resulted in harsh criticism
and resistance from various segments of society especially from the more conservative
and affluent middle class. The tension created by these differing views is the theme of
writers, poets, playwrights and artists of the time including such people as Christina
Rossetti, Algernon Swinburne, Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw.
Objectives and Standards:
The main objective of this course is to enable students to apply a critical approach to the
study of literary themes. To this end students should learn to recognize a work’s literary
themes, cultural context, and value system. Students should be able to explicate a text
from a thematic perspective.
On successful completion of this course, each student will be able to produce a l,000word analysis with the aid of reference material and without artificial time constraints.
While recognizing the work’s cultural context, such an analysis would reflect a
knowledge of literary and rhetorical devices and their effects, especially those elements
pertaining to themes as expressions of the implicit and explicit value systems in a text.
The students would use appropriate terminology and would thoroughly revise both the
form and content of this work.
Methodology:
About one-quarter of class time will focus on theoretical concerns which will consist of
short lectures, close reading of selected texts and class and group discussions of literary
components such as plot, character, tone, point of view, setting, and so on and more
specifically on the use of language, image and metaphor in this specific cultural context.
Students’ skills will be developed through a variety of activities, including individual
reading, note-taking and writing tasks, paragraph and essay construction and revision,
and peer review and evaluation. The activities will teach students how to extract and
interpret information and ideas from texts and present information and ideas in effective
writing. Writing activities will develop students’ skills in creating well-structured, clear,
and unified paragraphs, introductions, conclusions and thesis statements; brainstorming;
effective outlines, documentation, and the revisions and editing process. Class activities
will also focus on grammar, syntax, spelling punctuation and related sentence difficulties
as needed.
Bibliography:
Wilde, Oscar. The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde. Toronto: Harper Collins Canada.
2003.
Evaluation:
All assignments must be handed in on time. Marks will be deducted for late papers.
Journals, quizzes and sort assignments
(e.g. 500-word analytical essay on poetry)
Oral Presentation
Mid-Term Exam: In-Class Essay
One Take-Home 750-word Analytical Essay
One Take-Home 1000-word Analytical Essay
Final In-Class Exam (Essay Question)
20%
15%
15%
15%
20%
20%
Cheating and Plagiarism Policy:
Any form of cheating or plagiarism will result in a grade of zero.
Attendance Policy:
Regular attendance and active participation are required throughout the term. Missing
more than 10% of in-class work without a valid reason seriously jeopardizes a student’s
chance of passing the course. Students who miss 20% of in-class work will likely fail.
Students who will be absent from classes for religious reasons must inform their teachers,
in writing at the beginning of the semester, of the dates of these holidays and make up the
work missed. These students will not then be penalized for these absences. Students
with justifiable absences must submit original and verifiable documentation, such as a
medical note, upon their return to class. Students are responsible for making up any work
missed due to justifiable absences.