Class Description
The English novel developed from travel narratives, adventure tales, as well as Gothic and sentimental fiction to reach the realism of Jane Austen. The seminar will focus on selected Austen’s novels, from her early parody of popular romances in Northanger Abbey to her late satire of British society in Persuasion. We will also look at the enduring popularity and afterlife of Jane Austen’s oeuvre and current “Austenmania” with its plethora of film adaptations, sequels, and parodies.
Dr. Elzbieta Foeller-Pituch is the Assistant Director of the Chabraja Center for Historical Studies at Northwestern University, where she also teaches literature classes.
What to Expect
Format: In Person
Class Capacity: 20
Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged
Materials List
Required
- Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey. Penguin Classics, 2003. ISBN: 978-0141439792
- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice. Dover Thrift, 1995. ISBN: 978-0486284736
- Jane Austen, Persuasion. Penguin Classics, 2003. ISBN: 978-0141439686
- Digital Course Materials: Jane Austen, "Plan of a Novel"
First Reading
- Please read Jane Austen's novel Northanger Abbey and the two-page “Plan of a Novel” for the first session.
A Brief Syllabus
- Jane Austen and “Austenmania”
- Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, and her “Plan of a Novel”
- Pride and Prejudice
- Persuasion
Cost and Registration
4 Sessions, $175 ($157.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($175), Community Supported ($160), and Sponsor ($185). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
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