| Course Description |
Faith and the troubling of faith were defining features of life in Victorian Britain, and many of
the greatest poems of the period are fully understandable only in light of contemporary religious
debates. In this course we will study those poems and those debates, considering how
developments both in science and in biblical textual scholarship led to a loosening of the old
forms and rituals of Christian worship on one hand, and to a rededication to those forms on the
other. We will read a selection of the most influential Victorian poets, some canonical and some
now overlooked – including Keble, Newman, Clough, Christina Rossetti, Robert Browning,
Tennyson, Swinburne, and Hopkins – together with the writings of contemporary theologians
(Paley, Strauss, Feuerbach) and scientists (Lyell, Chambers, Darwin). The course is intended for
advanced undergraduates, preferably with some background in some aspect of its content, and
for graduate students (who may arrange with the professor to ensure that the course fulfills
degree requirements). Undergraduates should apply to the professor (e.gray@columbia.edu)
with a 1-2 paragraph email describing themselves (including relevant courses taken) and their
interest in the course. Graduate students are asked to email the professor to express their interest,
in order to help determine probable enrollment.
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