Is London fairly represented in literature? Has the way London is presented changed over time? Is there a difference in the London of a novel and the London of a travel guide?

London is a city of stories and has been an inspiration and subject for writers over hundreds of years.  This course introduces students to London, both as an object of inquiry and as a source, setting, and inspiration for numerous literary texts. Exploring the places, tropes, symbols, and characters in a selection of texts enable students to think about the city in relation to key theoretical and historical/cultural events that have helped shape the way we each experience London.  Different approaches to ‘writing and reading’ London are addressed alongside an analysis of the ways in which the city acts as a basis for critical interrogation and understanding.

EXAMPLE CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES (2-4 PER COURSE)

• Old Spitalfields Market and Brick Lane, East London
• Visit to The George Inn, Drinking Place of Shakespeare and Dickens
• Imperial War Museum

COURSE OUTLINE