Gender and Sexuality in British Literature
Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford
Key Information
Campus location
Oxford, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
Distance Learning, On-Campus
Duration
3 weeks
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 3,980 / per course
Application deadline
10 May 2024
Earliest start date
24 Jun 2024
Introduction
This course provides a unique and exciting opportunity for students to examine a wide range of British literature from various genres and periods through the lens of gender and sexuality. You will discuss representations of the changing roles of women in Early Modern England, from Isabella Whitney’s A Sweet Nosegay and William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost in the 16th Century to ‘breeches’ plays of the 17th Century. You will explore themes of womanhood, sexuality, and maternity in Romanticism and the Gothic through works such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the poems of Mary Robinson. Further areas of discussion will include censorship and (homo)sexuality, and differing constructions of masculinity in 20th Century British literature, as well as exploring queer literature in contemporary Britain, such as the works of Mary Jean Chan and Hanif Kureishi. Theoretical frameworks, including feminist literary theory and queer theory, will be examined and applied throughout the course, and lectures and supplementary resources will equip you with the historical and cultural knowledge to contextualise the texts you will study.
Available as a Residential or Online course on the following dates:
26th June 2023 to 14th July 2023
Gallery
Ideal Students
This course would suit students of the Humanities, especially those with an interest in English Literature, Theatre, Dramatic Arts, or History.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Lady Margaret Hall does not offer scholarships or grants for participation in the LMH Summer Programmes, but many students find they are able to seek financial assistance from their home university or academic department. The best first point of contact is likely the Study Abroad / International Education Office at your university.
Program Outcome
By the end of this course, you will:
- Be able to demonstrate knowledge of the role of gender and sexuality in a range of British literature.
- Be able to assess the changing role of gender and sexuality in British literature of diverse periods and genres.
- Be able to evaluate the relationship between literary texts and their historical and cultural contexts.
- Be able to apply key theoretical frameworks including feminist theory and queer theory to literary texts.