M.A. of English Literature - Course Plan: Romantic and Victorian Poetry

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Hazel

Advanced M.A. course plan for postgraduate study in Romantic and Victorian poetry, led by Prof. Dr. Intisar Rashid Khaleel. The syllabus develops close reading of major poets and representative primary texts alongside poets’ letters, critical writings, and scholarly interpretations. It emphasizes critical theories and literary concepts within historical, philosophical, cultural, and ideological contexts. Students strengthen academic argumentation and independent research through weekly seminars, discussions, presentations, and a substantial research paper with a clear problem, defensible thesis, textual analysis, and proper scholarly documentation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages4

Reading Time10 min

AccessFree to download

Course Description

Course Objectives

Course Significance

Course Requirements and Research Component

Weekly Course Outline

Revision and Mid-Course Review of Weeks 1-7

POSTGRADUATE STUDIES M.A.of English Literature Course Plan:Romantic and Victorian Poetry Prof.Dr.Intisar Rashid Khaleel Email:intisarrashid@tu.edu.iq Course Description This course offers an advanced study of Romantic and Victorian poetry,focusing on major poets,selected poeticworks,critical theories,literary concepts,historical contexts,and intellectual debates.Students will examine howpoetry engages with changing ideas of imagination,nature,individualism,religion,doubt,social criticism,aesthetics,and modernity.Particular attention will be given to primary texts,poets'letters and critical writings,and scholarlyinterpretations.The course also develops students'ability to formulate independent arguments and undertakeresearch appropriate to postgraduate study. Course Objectives able end of the students will be By the to: course, 1.Examine major poets and representative works of Romantic and Victorian poetry through advanced close reading. 2.Relate poetic texts to the historical,philosophical,cultural,and ideological circumstances in which they wereproduced. 3.Analyze major concepts and debates associated with Romanticism and Victorianism,including imagination,nature,individualism,gender,faith,doubt,socialcriticism,andaesthetics. 4.Evaluate selected critical arguments and use them to develop independent interpretations of literary texts. 5.Compare Romantic and Victorian poetic ideas and identify significant continuities and changes between the twoperiods. 6.Develop research and academic-writing skills suitable for an M.A.level and for preparing a substantial researchpaper. Course Significance 1.The course enables students to investigate major conceptions,theories,and critical debates related to Romantic andVictorianpoetry. 2.Students explore key poetic voices,themes,forms,letters,and critical writings from the two periods. 3.Seminars emphasize discussion,close reading,critical evaluation,and independent interpretation rather than thedescriptionofliteraryhistoryalone. 4.Students develop research,presentation,and academic-writing skills through weekly assignments and a termresearch paper. Course Requirements and Research Component Students are expected to prepare for weekly seminars,contribute to discussion,complete assigned readings and shortwritten responses,and give presentations when scheduled.Online assignments may be submitted through GoogleClassroom.By the end of the course,each student is required to submit a substantial research paper on a focusedtopic related to Romantic and/or Victorian poetry.The paper should contain a clear research problem or question,adefensible argument,close textual analysis,engagement with relevant scholarly sources,and appropriate academicdocumentation.Where appropriate,students may examine the continuing influence of Romanticism and Victorianismon later literature,including Modernist and Postmodernist writing. WeeKIy lourse Uutline Topic Weck Romanticism: 1 Introduction 2 3 Coleridge: 4 Nature, and Supemnatural 5 6 7 Individualism 8 9 Readings An M.A.R.Habib,LiteraryCriticism From Plato to thePresent,pp.145-167 and129-134; Dr. SharadRajimwalc,A History ofEnglish Literature,pp.251-262, Boris Ford,pp.67-84;Grieson and Smith,pp.279-291;John SpencerHill, The RomanticImagination,pp.87-109;selected poems from Songsof Innocence and ofExperience. William Blake:Innocence,Experience,and SocialCriticism Wordsworth,Preface toLyrical Ballads;Ford,pp.152-185;Hill,pp.159-165;selected poems including"Tinterm Abbey." Wordsworth;Poetry,Nature,and the Imagination Habib,PP.154-160;Grieson and Smith,pp.292-313;Hill,pp.166-175;selected poems including“Frost at Midnight”and"The Rime of the AncientMariner." Imagination, the Percy Bysshe Shelley:Hill,pp.211-221;Shelley,Poetry,Revolution,andA Defence of Poetry;Idealismselected passages from TheRevolt of Islam andPrometheus Unbound. John Keats:Letter

FAQs

What is the main focus of the course plan?

The course examines Romantic and Victorian poetry through advanced close reading, linking poetic texts to their historical, philosophical, cultural, and ideological contexts.

How will students be assessed or evaluated?

Students prepare for weekly seminars, contribute to discussion, complete assigned readings and written responses, give scheduled presentations, and submit a substantial research paper by the end of the course.

What research paper requirements are specified?

The paper must include a clear research problem or question, a defensible argument, close textual analysis, engagement with relevant scholarly sources, and appropriate academic documentation.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Hazel

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