The course will deal with general aspects of English literature from the nineteenth to the twentieth century with reference to social, political and religious changes Through close reading of the texts, the first module will explore the relationship between the sexes in a world in transition with particular focus on the condition and social roles of women. Particular attention will be devoted to the representation of the conflict between the social and personal spheres of the protagonists concerned and the importance of spiritual awakening. Students will be given a comprehensive account of the socio-cultural, pedagogical, philosophical and literary context of the nineteenth and twentieth century with a particular emphasis on female education and female emancipation together with the new role played by women in antithesis to the orthodoxy of the dominant class.
The course will present the basic sociocultural, scientific, artistic and philosophical ideas that characterized the period of transition from the beginning of the twentieth century. The course will also take into consideration the attempts of the two authors in the second module to create alternative artistic visions and spiritual solutions in the attempt to overcome the existential crisis pervading twentieth century European literature.