The London 'Lowlife' in Fiction: 1889-1907

About this course

The course examines how fiction represented London’s socio-economic conditions, class relations, political movements and structural poverty at the end of the nineteenth century. It considers works set in locations including Lambeth, Soho, Whitechapel, Seven Dials, Shoreditch and Shadwell, alongside their historical contexts and approaches to the subject matter. Teaching combines mini-lectures and seminars. Discussion covers narrative style, changes in literary genre and possible links with Modernism, while also considering omissions, inconsistencies and bias in the texts. Participants may give a short, non-mandatory seminar presentation on a work or topic of interest.

What you'll learn

• Identify key concerns about London expressed in fiction from the end of the nineteenth century.
• Analyse changes in literary style and genre associated with the development of Modernism.
• Explain major ideas proposed during this period for addressing poverty.
• Evaluate gaps, inconsistencies and bias in fictional representations and their historical contexts.

Is this course right for you?

No previous skills or knowledge are required. The course is intended for learners with an appetite for reading and curiosity about literature, history and social conditions. Participation involves seminar discussion, with an optional short presentation, and some subject matter may be distressing.

• Suitable for learners without previous subject knowledge.
• Requires substantial reading, although extracts may be used instead of complete works.
• Includes discussion-based seminar teaching.
• Some material addresses poverty and may be distressing.

Before you go

• The texts are available to read online, buy relatively inexpensively or borrow from a library.
• An inter-library loan may be used to obtain works that are not otherwise available.
• A bibliography and secondary reading list is provided for each session.