English Culture & Literature (1) - 2025/2026

English Culture and Literature

1.​ Course overview

-​ Focus on sensation fiction, late-Victorian Gothic, and the Perils of Reading

(1)​ Intro to Victorian Age

(2)​ What is Sensation Fiction? [why in the 1860s? what are the main themes and styles? why was

it considered dangerous or “improper”]

(3)​ Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Lady Audley’s Secret [literary historical context / narrative structure

/ what kind of fiction is it? what is the task of fiction]

(4)​ Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde [literary-historical context /

narrative structure / the detective]

2.​ Course syllabus

-​ Novels (Primary texts): printed books (borrowed fr. the library) or free online

editions are fine.

+​ Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Lady Audley’s Secret [1862] (any scholarly edition)

+​ Robert Louis Stevenson, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.s Hyde [1886] (any scholarly

edition)

N.B. also ebook, gutenberg.org, archive.org

-​ Secondary texts: only download the selected chapters (actually widely avail. online).

●​ Maureen Moran, Victorian Literature and Culture (Bloomsbury, 2009):

○​ “Philosophy and Religion”, pp. 24-38

●​ Herbert Tucker and Richard Boxall (eds), A New Companion to Victorian Literature

and Culture (Blackwell, 2014):

○​ Anthony H. Harrison, “1851”, pp. 19-34

○​ Linda K. Hughes, “1870”, pp. 35-51

●​ Andrew Mangham (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Sensation Fiction

(Cambridge University Press, 2013) [you can download the required chapters fr.

Moodle]

○​ Laurence Talairach-Vielmas, “Sensation Fiction and the Gothic”, pp. 21-33

○​ Janice…

●​ Lyn Pykett, The “Improper” Feminine: The Women’s Sensation Novel and the New

Woman Writing (Routledge, 1992):

○​ “Gender and writing, writing and gender”, pp. 3-10

○​ “The Subject of Woman”, pp. 11-18

●​ Penny Fielding (ed.), The Edinburgh Companion to Robert Louis Stevenson

(Edinburgh University Press, 2010):

○​ Stephen Arata, “Stevenson and Fin-de-Siècle Gothic”, pp. 53-69

“Make ‘em cry, make ‘em laugh, make ‘em wait”

-​ The focus → Who are them? (= readers) → strong emphasis of the novels on readers

-​ Sensation fictions: abt history, crime, psychological tension…

+​ Victorian writers are extremely skilled in keeping readers emotionally involved, making them

curious, shocked, scared and scandalized, building the climax and suspense inside readers

(published separately chapters by chapters → keep readers interested → buy the next

installment)

→ Many novels create the suspense = address sensitive themes → make the readers wait

1. A few preliminary remarks

-​ The literary texts will be placed in their historical, literary and cultural context (e.g.

intellectual debates…)

+​ As a reader, we not only focus on the characters but also pay attention to the important

features at that time (e.g. ideas abt classes, genders, science, etc.)

-​ “Culture” is intended as “discursive culture” or “cultural discourse”

+​ In other words, a wider network of “texts, narratives”, covering # aspects = lit. exists in many

# texts (social discussion, popular fictions, political debates, etc.)

+​ The context (history, social issues, politics, etc.) is used to enhance the reading of the novel.

→ The sum of the many “discourses” or “texts” that enhance our reading and understanding

of the literary texts.

-​ The context can help us uds more deeply and more comprehensively some issues.

+​ but we try to go beyond the idea that the text is simply a reflection of the author’s intentions.

N.B. Literature is not only the mirror of society.

+​ Literary works are not only the passive reflection (= recipient) of society but also an active

participant of the cultural debates.

+​ Some issues covered by the texts can affect the culture to some extent.

2. Some key terms and dates

-​ The literary periods in the 19th C [1800s]

+​ Romantic age - 1798-1832 (right before the period of the Victorian Age)

●​ Content emphasis: nature, imagination, etc.

○​ “Lyrical Ballads” - a ground-breaking poetry, a genuine work

●​ Genre: focus more on poetry rather than prose

●​ Incl. 2 generations of Romantic poets

●​ 1832 - the remarkable reform - the conclusion of the R. Age

○​ Sir Walter Scott died - the Romantic novelists

+​ Victorian age - 1837-1901

●​ Content emphasis: society, social classes & conflicts, science, progress, tech., etc.

●​ Genre: focus more on novels rather than poems

+​ “The Long 19th Century” - the critics use the term under the chronological framework

-​ The “hungry 1840s”: social unrest

(?) What is “hungry 1840s”?

(1)​ Historical event - Irish Famine (1845-1849) → mass migration from Ireland to

Manchester, England, trying to run away fr. starving.

(2)​ The worsening of life & work conditions of the lowest classes, due to:

●​ bad harvests → less food → high price of bread

●​ corner laws & taxes

●​ worse working conditions → ppl had to work for longer hours & in

dangerous evrm

●​ lack of medical care → the spreading of diseases

→ result in the social unrest (e.g. machinery factories)

+​ Focus on the progress, prosperity (thanks to the rise of national income & life conditions)

●​ This period was when the country witnessed technological & economic growth →

the time for prosperity (esp. 1840s - 1860s).

●​ However, there were still many ppl who were left behind.

+​ Representation of social conflicts as this decade - 1840s are characterized by unrest.

+​ Although many of the authors were in the middle class, they still wanted to denounce & raise

awareness about the difficult life of the lower classes (based on their life observation). The

reasons could be:

●​ The sympathy for the poor: They were genuinely sorry abt the situations, trying to

support and improve the life conditions of these people.

●​ Anxiety abt. social unrest: It might be dangerous to leave things in these bad

conditions → social unrest → revolution → push middle-class ppl. in danger.

→ If the poor are helped and happy, Britain may not undergo any revolutions, movements, or rebellations.

+​ The “Condition of England” Novel (Benjamin Disraeli, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth

Gaskell…”

●​ Charles Dickens: Oliver Twist,, the Christmas Carol (class conflicts), Hard Times

●​ Elizabeth: wrote mainly abt. Manchester

-​ 1851: The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of all Nations

+​ Held in London from May to Oct by Prince Albert (Queen Victoria’s husband)

+​ Displayed the art of industry (the latest improvement, the wonders,...) thru. objects from all

over the world

→ celebrated the idea of England’s growth & imperial power = English leadership &

power (coming fr. the colonies)

-​ 3 keywords to navigate the Victorian age (what shaped this period):

+​ Respectability

●​ focus on the social classes (esp. the upper class)

●​ refers to social importance of appearing in a certain way ~ in the way you look

(more than the way you truly are) → created more principles (how to appear good /

evil)

E.g. to be recognized as a good person → build a good image (e.g. hard working)

○​ works with: social acceptance, social recognition, proper family, public

reputation (jobs → easier to be acknowledged), emotional discipline, etc.

+​ Progress:

●​ Keywords: industrial development, revolution (railway network, scientific discovery,

technological advancement), imperial expansion, urban growth - transformation of

the city → metropolis.

→ Impact positively on ppl’s lives.

+​ Anxiety:

●​ The very fast transformation led to some unpleasant consequences, such as:

○​ Visible poverty (children had to work - work abuse)

○​ Social inequality & disparity

○​ Fear of degeneration (thoái hóa)

○​ Economic growth & civilization → left many ppl behind

○​ Imperial expansion → What if the colonies revenged

→ Remarkable tension: A respectable society >< The anxiety (consequences? cost?)

3. Some figures that were associated with honor & popular culture come fr.

19th cent. lit.

-​ Oscar Wilde - “The Picture of Dorian Gray”

-​ Robert Louis Stevenson - “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”

-​ Mary Shelley - “Frankenstein” (1818 → not situated in the Victorian Age but in Romantic Age)

+​ “Frankenstein” is the name of the scientist, not the monster

+​ Raised fascination, anxiety & fear (monstrosity)

-​ Bram Stoker - “Dracula”

N.B. Many monster figures today come fr. the text in the Victorian Age (sensation fictions)

4. Some key phrases

▼ The Victorian compromise

-​ an idea that there must need to be reconciliation btw. the consequences of progress (change) &

moral-social values with others. → argue that the progress can go hand in hand with the traditional

values

-​ hypocritical - a dark aspect

E.g. try to