Key facts
UNE unit code: ENGL551
*You are viewing the 2026 version of this unit which may be subject to change in future.
- Not offered in 2026
- Yes
- No
- No
- 6
Unit information
Literature written in the period from 1837-1901 is commonly referred to as from the Victorian Era.
In this unit you will be introduced to the Victorian period and examine a selection of Victorian texts and images in relation to social, religious, political, economic and other contexts.
You will begin the unit by interrogating notions of ‘Victorianism’, and proceed to examine such areas of debate as religious faith and doubt, gender and nation, empire and race, and post-Darwinian fears about the species divisions and what constitutes the ‘human’.
Deepen your knowledge of the Victoria era of literature and further develop your analytical and research skills in this unit.
Intensive schools
There are no intensive schools required for this unit.
Enrolment rules
Notes
Please refer to the student handbook for current details on this unit.
Unit coordinator(s)
Learning outcomes
Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
- identify and critically evaluate debates within the field of Victorian literature and culture;
- demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the strategies and mechanisms by which literary texts engage with their historical, cultural and geographical contexts;
- critically analyse and evaluate a diverse range of Victorian literary texts;
- apply advanced reading, writing and research skills in the critical interpretation of Victorian literature; and
- demonstrate an expert and comprehensive understanding of the field of Victorian literary studies and its wider application.
Assessment information
Assessments are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
| Title | Must Complete | Weight | Offerings | Assessment Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Written Essay | Yes | 50% | All offerings | No. Words: 3500 |
| Take Home Examination | Yes | 50% | All offerings | No. Words: 2500 |
Learning resources
Textbooks are subject to change up to 8 weeks prior to the start of the teaching period in which you are undertaking the unit.
Note: Students are expected to purchase prescribed material. Please note that textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
ISBN: 9780393679212
Stevenson, R.L., Norton Critical 2nd 2003
Text refers to: All offerings
Sherlock Holmes: Selected Stories
ISBN: 9780199672066
Conan Doyle, A., Oxford University Press 2nd ed. 2014
Text refers to: All offerings
Middlemarch
ISBN: 9780141199795
Eliot, G., Penguin 2012
Text refers to: All offerings
The Island of Dr Moreau
ISBN: 9780141441023
Wells, H.G., Broadview Press 1st ed. 2009
Text refers to: All offerings
Victorian Poetry: An Annotated Anthology
ISBN: 9780631234364
O'Gorman, F. (ed), Blackwell 2004
Text refers to: All offerings
Jane Eyre
ISBN: 9780141198859
Bronte, C., Penguin 2012
Text refers to: All offerings
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