This course examines Jane Austen%BFs six completed novels, their ideas and their art, in relation to their literary and historical context. Austen's early novels were drafted in the 1790s; her final novel was completed in 1816, when British society had undergone many changes. Austen's novels are sometimes seen as standing apart from other writings and as having little to do with social and political debates.
However, studying the novels in relation to contemporary writing and debates is very illuminating. We shall look at the influence of Fanny Burney's Evelina on Austen's depictions of her heroines and use of courtship plots. We shall consider the parallels between Charlotte Smith%BFs Celestina and Austen's Sense and Sensibility, and we shall examine the parodying of Ann Radcliffe's gothic The Mysteries of Udolpho in Northanger Abbey. We shall consider critical controversies over the significance of slavery in Mansfield Park, looking at excerpts from film interpretations of this novel. Finally, we shall consider social change in Emma and Persuasion. This course includes a whole day field trip to Chawton Cottage where Jane Austen lived from 1809 to 1817
Period
04-07-2011 - 29-07-2011 (4 weeks)
Target group
The University of Sussex International Summer School welcomes applicants from a wide range of educational backgrounds. Although most of you will be currently enrolled at a university or college, we also welcome applicants who have been away from education for some years, as well as highly committed senior high school students - for some courses a good general education, an open mind and lots of enthusiasm are the main qualifications. For some other courses you will see that prerequisites are listed - applicants for these courses are expected to submit transcripts to demonstrate that they have taken, or are currently taking, the necessary precursors.
Course aim
This is a great opportunity for secondary school students to prepare for college and acquire college credit, which you will usually be able to transfer to a future undergraduate degree. The International Summer School provides an opportunity to meet and study with people from different countries and cultures, on a cosmopolitan campus. The large range of courses on offer allows you to get ahead with credit in core courses, or simply to experiment with something new.
Credits
9.0 ECTS creditsSummer School courses carry 18 credits and last for four weeks. Since the standard annual load for a Sussex student is 120 credits, this means that each course is equivalent to four and a half semester hours or nine ECTS credits. Students can take only one course per session, as the courses are intensive. You can expect to spend 25 to 35 hours each week on your course between attending classes, labs and workshops, as well as time spent outside class preparing the readings and assignments. You can find information about the courses offered by the International Summer School through our course directory or courses by subject pages of our website.
Course fee
EEK 1250Tuition only (one four week session).GBP 2350Tuition only (BOTH four week ISS sessions).
Course leader
Gillian Anderton
Scholarships
The University of Sussex offers a limited number of scholarships for participation in the ISS in the form of partial fee waivers to students from developing countries who have high potential for future leadership in their field of study or career.
University of Sussex
Address: University of Sussex Brighton
Postal code: BN1 9RF
City: Brighton
Country: United Kingdom
Website: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/iss/
E-mail: issoffice@sussex.ac.uk
Phone: 00441273678406
Jane Austen's Novels and their Context
