Study two of the most crucial texts of the Gothic genre on this course: 'Dracula' and 'Frankenstein,' learning about gender roles and science, as well as the philosophy of good and evil along the way.
This course will cover two key texts of the Gothic genre: 'Dracula' and 'Frankenstein'; well-known giants in classic literature. During this course, students will explore in-depth the origins, development and characteristics of the Gothic genre, and its influence on English literature over time. Starting with Bram Stoker's 'Dracula,' students will explore the text's treatment of monstrosity and how the character of the Count is such an enduring figure in literature. They'll explore gender, and the representations of the Victorian male as strong and educated, versus the weak and vulnerable women of the age. Students will then analyse the importance of different geographical locations and settings, and the perilous journeys between them. The course will then examine 'Frankenstein', Mary Shelley's 1818 classic. Students will dive into the themes of science and discovery and how such topics were of such interest to Victorian readers, both positively and negatively. Again, students will look at how 'Frankenstein' unpacks the role of the Monster, its actions and the human response. Students will debate good and evil in the text, and how representations of such change throughout. The course will progress to a complete comparison of the two texts, analysing side by side the novels' treatments of the key themes examined. During which, students will conduct close language analysis and be taken through the fundamentals of English literature. Students will learn how to plan and write comparisons on English literature, as well as practising their oracy, analytical and debating skills. This course will give a comprehensive overview of how to study two classics in English literature and will demonstrate just why these two classics are so revered, and so widely studied all around the world, centuries after their creation.
Course Content
10 LESSONS
10 HOURS Total Length
Lesson 1
The Gothic
60 minutes
Lesson 2
Dracula: Fear and Monstrosity
60 minutes
Lesson 3
Dracula: Masculinity and Femininity
60 minutes
Lesson 4
Dracula: Travel and Settings
60 minutes
Lesson 5
Frankenstein: Science and Discovery
60 minutes
Lesson 6
Frankenstein: Fear and Monstrosity
60 minutes
Lesson 7
Frankenstein: Good and Evil
60 minutes
Lesson 8
Both: Man and the 'Other'
60 minutes
Lesson 9
Both: The Protagonists
60 minutes
Lesson 10
Both: Death and Destruction
60 minutes
Key Skills
Close Language Analysis
Applying Context
Quote Collection
Annotation
Educator
Jazmin H
English Educator
Jazmin has a degree in English literature, a PGCE and a master's in educational leadership. She is a full-time Educator with an extraordinary passion for English and education.