Gender and Sexuality in British Literature

This course provides a unique and exciting opportunity for students to examine a wide range of British literature from various genres and periods through the lens of gender and sexuality. You will discuss representations of the changing roles of women in Early Modern England, from Isabella Whitney’s A Sweet Nosegay and William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost in the 16th Century to ‘breeches’ plays of the 17th Century. You will explore themes of womanhood, sexuality, and maternity in Romanticism and the Gothic through works such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the poems of Mary Robinson. Further areas of discussion will include censorship and (homo)sexuality, and differing constructions of masculinity in 20th Century British literature, as well as exploring queer literature in contemporary Britain, such as the works of Mary Jean Chan and Hanif Kureishi. Theoretical frameworks, including feminist literary theory and queer theory, will be examined and applied throughout the course, and lectures and supplementary resources will equip you with the historical and cultural knowledge to contextualise the texts you will study.

Click here for the Course Overview.

After studying this course you will be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of the role of gender and sexuality in a range of British literature.
• Assess the changing of role of gender and sexuality in British literature of diverse eras and genres.
• Evaluate the relationship between literary texts and their historical and cultural contexts.
• Apply key theoretical frameworks including feminist literary theory and queer theory to literary texts.

This course would suit students of the Humanities, especially those with an interest in English Literature, Theatre, Dramatic Arts, or History.

Available as a Residential or Online course on the following dates:

26th June 2023 to 14th July 2023

Find out more about the admissions criteria, programme fees, and how to apply.

Apply for a residential programme.

Apply for an online programme.

If you have any questions, or would like to know more, please do get in touch here.