I have read very little Victorian Literature, maybe even less so than many other students who are coming into this course with little experience. The only experience I have within this time period is Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Bram Stoker’s Dracula. I have touched very little of the works of the more famous Victorian writers. My primary goal of course is to learn as much as I can about this period of writing, and be able to hold my own in an academic discussion.

Beyond that more obvious goal, I wish to learn about the primary issues and problems faced by writers of the time. How were these issues solved or addressed, and are they reflected in modern society. The Victorian period was a period of scientific, social, and political revolution in many ways. How did these changes appear in the literature? Periods of great change always lead to great stories and great literature, usually both entertaining and enlightening.