Course for international guest/part time students
- Faculty
- Faculty of Humanities
- Organization
- BTK Department of English Studies
- Code
- OT-ANG17-390.12
- Title
- Elective Specialisation: The English Literary History of Sexuality
- Usual semester
- Both
- Published semester
- 2026/27/1
- ECTS
- 3
- Language
- en
- Learning outcomes
- The aim of the course is to familiarise students with the English literary history of sexuality from the late 16th century until the early 20th century. In lieu of modern theories of sexuality, students are acquainted with a “culturalist” approach so that they understand the relevance of culture-based text analysis, instead of appealing to social sensitivities, and acquire further critical thinking and polemic skills. Knowledge: Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the representation of sexuality in English literature from the late 16th century to the early 20th century. They will become familiar with the genres, authors, and texts associated with various literary periods, as well as the principles of the “culturalist” approach. They will understand the interpretation of sexuality as a literary construct, the historical changes in gender roles, the development of sexual taxonomies, and the process of medicalization. Skills: Students will be able to analyze literary texts independently, from critical and cultural perspectives. Their argumentation and debate skills, as well as their written expression skills, will develop through short essays and test assignments. They will be able to recognize the connections between complex literary and cultural phenomena, as well as to interpret texts from different historical periods in a comparative manner. Attitude: Students become open to diverse interpretations of literary texts and more sensitive to cultural and historical differences. They develop critical thinking skills and tolerance for differing perspectives. They strive to form nuanced, well-founded opinions and appreciate the cultural significance of literature. Autonomy and responsibilty: Students prepare independently for seminar sessions and take responsibility for their own learning process. They actively participate in group work, contribute to professional discourse, and are able to articulate their own well-reasoned positions. They complete their assignments to a high standard by the deadline and reflect on their own progress.
- Course content
- The course argues for the “literariness” of sexuality, i.e. there is parallel between the stylisation of texts and the self. Other than the representation of sexuality through the centuries, particular historical attributes of literary texts will be observed. The “culturalist” approach helps students understand different sexual roles, the paradoxes of respectability, the birth of different sexual taxonomies, and the medicalisation of sexuality. During the in-class discussions, students read both canonical texts familiar from their prior studies and non-canonical texts: sonnets, plays, and narrative poems by Shakespeare, metaphysical poetry, Augustan poetry, closet dramas, Gothic fiction, and Modernist poetry and prose.
- Assessment method
- Students are expected to contribute to the in-class discussions. Occasionally, they need to prepare for the seminar session by writing short guided essays or quizzes. The course ends with a guided home paper.
- Bibliography
- Shakespeare, Sonnet 20 Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece Marvel, “To His Coy Mistress” Pope, The Rape of the Lock Byron, Don Leon G. Eliot, The Lifted Veil Goethe, “Der Erlkönig,” Stenbock, “The Vampyre” Le Fanu, Carmilla Tennyson, “In Memoriam A.H.H.,” “The Lady of Shalott” [Wilde], Teleny Prime-Stevenson, Imre Prime-Stevenson, “Madonnesca” T.S. Eliot, “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” Looby, “How to Do the (Literary) History of (American) Sexuality