Gender and the Victorian Heart

3 units

Gender and the Victorian Heart will explore the intersections of gender and Victorian literature, autobiography, and fiction, specifically with regard to the representations (or lack of representation) of emotions, and the ensuing perceptions of power and/or weakness that result from these intersections.We will read a variety of work from multiple genres in order to investigate how a number of major Victorian writers construct emotions, emotional characters, and unemotional characters. Emotions to be contemplated include platonic, romantic, maternal/paternal loves; desire; fear; shame, guilt, and embarrassment; pride; anger and rage; grief and joy; envy and jealousy. We will be particularly interested in the interactions and constructions of emotions and gender roles. How do these authors construct, envision, and re-envision emotions in the nineteenth century, and how do historical gender roles get reified or revised by these authors?