Literary London: from Shakespeare to Sherlock
Literary London guides students through a body of writings as stimulating, diverse and complex as the city that inspired them.
We will encounter landmark texts from three centuries of London’s literary history from the culture clashes between the Puritans and cut-purses (i.e. thieves) of Shakespeare’s day to the mysterious metropolis of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories. This course thus explores the myriad of ways in which London has been perceived, documented and imagined: as a den of vice, a triumph of civilization and a theatre of dreams.
Alongside consideration of the unique qualities of specific authors and works students will be encouraged to consider how London has inspired or contributed towards the emergence of media, genres and styles: City comedy; periodical journalism; the ‘Condition of England’ novel; the detective story; modernist stream of consciousness narration and migrant literature.
Our literary critical discussions will also have an interdisciplinary dimension in being illuminated by concepts from a variety of neighbouring domains including the history of medicine, urban theory and psycho-geography.
Intended Audience
This course is aimed at those who enjoy reading and discussing narratives and dramas. While it may be of special interest to English Literature specialists, our discussions will incorporate elements of politics, sociology, psychology, history, economics and film.
Previous Knowledge
Fluency in reading English is the essential prerequisite. Prior academic study of the specific authors and texts is not a requirement.
Transferable Knowledge and Skills
Students will acquire the following skills: the ability to appreciate and analyse the works; to read not only for plot but also for more complex political, ethical and psychological implications; the capacity to argue their critical perspective.
Dr George Yeats
Dr George Yeats is a Senior Lecturer in English Literature at Regent’s University London having previously Directed Studies for Girton and Newnham Colleges, Cambridge, shortly after completing his PhD at King’s.
He has given conferences papers at numerous institutions including The University of Oxford and King's College, London. A specialist in Shakespeare and Victorian literature, he has peer reviewed for 'The Shakespeare Bulletin' and published in the journals “Nineteenth-Century Literature” and “Victorian Literature and Culture”.