Aesthetes and Decadence (U03238)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 10 ? Acronym : LLC-4-U03238

Caught between the Victorian and the Modern, the Aesthetic and Decadent Movements were manifestations of a time laden with anxieties and with a heady sense of possibility. Not the fruit of experience, but experience itself, is the end, Walter Pater claimed, arguing further that success in life was to burn always, to maintain this ecstasy. The late 19th-century was a crucial moment in the formation and transformation of literature; it saw great technological advances, social reforms, and cultural and artistic upheavals. The aim of this course, is to examine some of the key works of this often overlooked period. As an ancillary consideration, the course aims to explain the ways in which Aestheticism and Decadence shifted from artistic movements to cultural phenomena, and to clarify the concurrent shift in ideas about degeneration. From the outset, it seemed there was something unwholesome, criminal, and even pathological in Aestheticism and Decadence and this course will reevaluate these concerns.

Entry Requirements

? This course is not available to visting students.

? Pre-requisites : Passes in English or Scottish Literature 1 and English or Scottish or American literature 2, with a mark of 50 or above at the first attempt in the second year course. Passes in third year courses in the subject area amounting to at least 40 credits.

? Special Arrangements for Entry : Numbers are limited and students taking degrees not involving English, Scottish or American literature need the written approval of the head of English Literature before enrolling.

? Costs : Essential course texts.

Subject Areas

Home subject area

English Literature, (School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures, Schedule G)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 4th year

? Delivery Period : Not being delivered

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

? Other Required Attendance : 1 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

A student who successfully completes this course should be able to:
comprehend the Continental origins of the art for art's sake movement
understand how Aestheticism and Decadence manifested themselves within American and British literature
evaluate the significance of Aestheticism and Decadence in the formation of Modernism