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ENG-30148 - Module Specification
School of Humanities
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 07 May 2025

ENG-30148 - Poverty in Literature 1837-1914
Coordinator:
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 733147

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

N/A

Description for 2025/26

Poverty was a major social concern in nineteenth and early twentieth century England, and this is reflected in the literary output from novelists of the period. In this module, you will start by considering Oliver Twist in the context of the poor laws, and in each succeeding week you will encounter different and later novels in the context of relevant contemporary topics or themes (such as philanthropic activity) and comparative creative writings. Fictional depictions of the poor, and their treatment by the state, charities, family members, and others are spread across the period, with pulse points of intense focus in the 1840s and 1880s. Your final taught session will treat Robert Tressell's posthumous call to socialism in The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists.

Aims
To analyse literary novels written from 1837 onwards for their representation of the poor in England, in the context of the treatment of poverty by the state, organisations, and individuals. Classes will start with consideration of Oliver Twist and the Poor Laws, and move chronologically through publications and themes up to 1914, finishing with The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, and Tressell's expression of socialist ideology.

Intended Learning Outcomes

recognise and explain depictions of poverty in Victorian and Edwardian English literature: 1,2
contextualise literary works in relation to social debates about, and responses to, poverty in the same periods: 1
formulate and express sophisticated analyses of literary texts and their historical contexts in writing: 1,2

Study hours

36 hours taught sessions (12 hours interactive lectures, 12 hours seminars, 12 hours workshops)
48 hours preparation for, or consolidation of, taught sessions
18 hours drafting and finalising diary entries
48 hours researching and writing essay

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Essay weighted 60%
Essay
An essay of 1500 words that compares at least two (but no more than three) of the novels studied in this module, in response to a specific question. A list of 8-10 questions will be available.

2: Reflective Diary weighted 40%
Reflective diary
A diary of 1400 words, comprising four entries of 350 words each. Every entry must relate to a different substantive seminar and combine reflections on at least two of these points: i) some relevant reading in advance of the seminar, ii) the seminar discussion, and iii) the student's thoughts after the seminar.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 07 May 2025