UVU Victorian Literature and Politics for the Present (Fall 2020) Dashboard

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The Victorian period was one of great change for Britain. Comprised of the years of Queen Victoria’s reign (1837-1901), it featured the rapid industrialization and urbanization of Britain, and the radical expansion of the British empire. Although these changes improved the quality of life for some Victorians, many more were forced to work under inhumane conditions, live in unsanitary and insalubrious environments, or suffered the violent oppressions of colonial rule. While we may think of the Victorian period as a distant, different era, this class argues that Victorians faced some of the same issues we deal with today, including systemic racism, opioid addiction, ecological disasters, and public health crises, to name but a few. 

“Victorian Literature and Politics for the Present” revisits texts both familiar and new - canonical and not - through the lens of current events. Addressing a range of genres, this course examines historical and philosophical trends that shaped the era’s literature and were shaped by it. Specifically, it will explore how the Victorians addressed, and sometimes avoided, issues of racial oppression, class conflict, public welfare, and imperial plunder. Moreover, it will consider what parallels and throughlines we can draw between the Victorian era and the twenty-first century and contemplate the value of continuing to study Victorian authors and texts today. 

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Individual Entries

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Posted by Madeline McBeth on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 - 01:01

Louisa May Alcott published Behind a Mask in 1866 under the pseudonym A.M. Barnard.

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Posted by Madeline McBeth on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 - 01:00

Emily Bronte published Wuthering Heights in 1848 under pseudonym Ellis Bell. 

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Posted by Madeline McBeth on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 - 00:57

Ann Bronte published The Tenant of Wildfell Hall in 1848 under the pseudonym Acton Bell. 

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Posted by Madeline McBeth on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 - 00:55

Emily Bronte published Wuthering Heights in 1848 under pseudonym Ellis Bell. 

Place
Posted by Madeline McBeth on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 - 00:55

Charlotte Bronte published Jane Eyre in 1847 under pseudonym Currer Bell.

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Posted by Madeline McBeth on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 - 00:54

Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin publishes La Mare au diable in 1846, under pseudonym George Sand. 

Posted by Monica Marron on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 - 00:42
Place
Posted by Tessa Christensen on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 - 00:15

This is the home of the first women to have a seat in Congress. Jeanette Rankin was the first female elected to Congress in 1916 before the 19th ammendment was ratified and granted rights for women. Rankin was able to play a critical role in getting the 19th ammendment to pass because of her seat in Congress. 

Place
Posted by Tessa Christensen on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 - 00:13

This landmark is for the women who were employed in the textile mills during a time when very few women were able to work outside of their homes. These factories were a very important part of helping young women be able to leave their homes and gain more independence for themselves. They were able to pay for their own things instead of relying on their fathers or husbands. Finally women were able to live on their own without being dependent on a man to provide for them. 

Chronology Entry
Posted by Richard Evans on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 - 00:11

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