Charlotte Bronte's best known novel, Jane Eyre (1847) has not been out of print since its initial publication, continues to sell well, and has been the source of film and televison adaptations. Beyond this, the novel has sustained a varied ‘‘afterlife,’’ appearing in numerous sequels, prequels,and parodies. This course will explore the way in which the narrative and characters in Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre (1847) have been revisited and rewritten since its initial publication. The unit will explore the character of the 'madwoman in the attic' and how she was rewritten in Jean Rhys' novel 'Wide Sargasso Sea' (1966); the Byronic hero and his reappearance throughout literary history, Jasper Fforde’s unadults novel and parody 'The Eyre Affair' (2001) and a variety of film adaptations. The course will draw on feminist literary criticism, post colonial readings and adaptation theory.
Additional information about this course
Half term 21/10/2019
Course aim
To explore the way in which Charlotte Bronte's classic novel Jane Eyre has been revisited and rewritten in novels, film, and literary adaptation since its publication in 1847.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- No skills or experience needed
- This course is suitable for beginners and improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- critically discuss the concept of the afterlife of a text
- identify genres and concepts informing Charlotte Bronte's novel 'Jane Eyre' such as Gothic, realism, and the Bildungsroman
- describe how these different concepts are utilised in other works
- employ literary theories such as feminist literary criticism, postcolonial criticism and adaptation theory in discussion various sequels, prequels and adaptations of 'Jane Eyre'
How will I be taught?
- The WEA tutor will use a range of different teaching and learning methods and encourage you and the group to be actively involved in your learning
What kind of feedback can I expect?
- A range of informal activities will be used by the tutor to see what you are learning which may include quizzes, question and answer, small projects and discussion
What else do I need to know?
- Nothing else is needed
Pre-course work, reading and information sources
- No pre reading is required but research on the subject on the internet or in the library may be helpful
What can I do next?
- Progress to another WEA course
Download full course information sheet
Revisiting Jane: an exploration of the literary afterlife of Jane Eyre
