Besides those times in AP Literature where I read Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights senior year of high school, I have no knowledge of what encompasses Victorian literature. To start, I would of course like to acquire a basic understanding of which are the bounds of Victorian literature, and its deeper characteristics. I hope to also learn more about the features of the humanities of this time – the politics, history, philosophies, and religion, that inspired these works of literature. I’m interested to see the crossovers of themes between the novels and excerpts that we read, so I will be able to have a broader scope of this literature.

Last semester in our Lit & Lit in the Digital Age, we thoroughly talked about modern day connections. I am curious to compare and contrast what I learned about connections then, to Victorian connections, and really develop my knowledge of connections farther. Another aspect I am eager to learn about is the way gender played into this literature. Since some major authors during this time were women, I wonder in what ways their work differs from the male authors of this time. Especally since women weren’t equal or completely respected, I am interested to learn about their struggles of writing and publishing. 

Overall, I am excited to take this course, and develop a new range of literature and knowledge about the Victorian Era. Besides exploring the connections and gender roles, I am just eager to start jumping into the literature, and discussing it in class!