Repression, Subversion, Expression: Gender and Sexuality in British Literature

Repression, Subversion, Expression: Gender and Sexuality in British Literature summer course in Oxford, by Lady Margaret Hall.

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Key Details

Available from: 30th June 2025 to 18th July 2025
Provider: Lady Margaret Hall
Ages: 19+
Fees: £4,060 / 3 Weeks

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Course Summary

How have expressions of sexuality and gender in British literature been shaped by the social constraints of different periods? How have female authors navigated systems of patriarchy, and what has been the role of literature in confirming and subverting gender norms? And how are the rapid changes in approaches, attitudes, and practices around gender and sexuality since the 20th century reflected in contemporary British writing? This courses offers a unique and exciting opportunity to explore these questions and more, examining a wide range of British literature from various genres and periods thorugh the lens of gender and sexuality.

You will discuss representations of the changing roles of women in Early Modern England, from Isabella Whitney’s A Sweet Nosegay and William Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost in the 16th Century to ‘breeches’ plays of the 17th Century. You will explore themes of womanhood, sexuality, and maternity in Romanticism and the Gothic through works such as Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Further areas of discussion will include censorship and (homo)sexuality, and differing constructions of masculinity in 20th Century British literature, as well as exploring queer literature in contemporary Britain, such as the works of Mary Jean Chan. Theoretical frameworks, including feminist literary theory and queer theory, will be examined and applied throughout the course, and lectures and supplementary resources will equip you with the historical and cultural knowledge to contextualise the texts you will study.

Repression, Subversion, Expression is the perfect course for you if you are a Humanities student seeking to develop your knowledge of British literature and culture, your analytical skills, and your understanding of varied forms of self-expression.

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Course Highlights

Live and study in Lady Margaret Hall, one of Oxford's finest colleges
Learn from experienced academics using the tutorial system
Enjoy meals in hall, experiencing life as an Oxford student
Gain new skills to take you further in your future academic or professional career.

What's Included?

All tuition, including lectures, seminars, and tutorials
Assessment, transcript of academic performance, and certificate
A co-curricular programme of skills workshops and guest speakers
Access to the Lady Margaret Hall College Library
Bed & Breakfast accommodation in a single bedroom throughout your programme
Lunch and dinner in the College Dining Hall Monday to Friday
A full Social & Cultural Programme, including two excursions to other English cities per three-week programme session
A high-quality printed class photograph
Formal Graduation banquet

Accommodation

You will stay in College accommodation onsite at Lady Margaret Hall, in bedrooms normally occupied by our undergraduate students during term time.

You will eat breakfast each day in the Dining Hall, and lunch and dinner will also be provided in College on each of your teaching days. On the final evening of the course there is a Graduation Formal Hall, when students dress up in their finest outfits for a special banquet served in the Dining Hall.

Tuition

Teaching:

LMH Summer Programmes are designed and delivered by experienced academics from Lady Margaret Hall and across the University of Oxford, and are taught using the Oxford teaching model, which emphasises personalised small-group learning.

In a series of thought-provoking lectures and lively seminar discussions you will learn about cutting-edge research, expand your core knowledge, and explore new ideas and concepts among peers with diverse international perspectives and academic backgrounds.

Tutorials, the conclusion of each week’s study, are an intellectual thrill. They are a unique opportunity for focused and personalised attention from an expert academic and a space for enthusiastic debate of important ideas. Alongside no more than two to three other students, you will present and discuss your work, accept constructive criticism, and engage with the ideas of your fellow students. These rigorous academic discussions help develop and facilitate learning in a way that cannot be done with lectures alone.

Assessment:

On a three-week LMH Summer Programme students produce one piece of assessed work every week, which is submitted to the tutor and then discussed in a tutorial. At the end of each week you will receive a percentage grade for your submitted work. Each week’s work counts for a third of your final percentage grade, so your final grade is an average of the mark received for each piece of work. Students who stay for six or nine weeks will receive a separate grade for each 3-week course.

Academic Credit:

Lady Margaret Hall will provide a transcript of your assessed work, and can send this directly to your home institution if required. LMH Summer Programmes are designed to be eligible for academic credit, and we will communicate with your home institution to facilitate this as needed. As a guide, we recommend the award of 15 CATS / 7.5 ECTS / 4 US Credits for each 3-week course.

Extracurricular Activities

Would you like to join a pub quiz, visit a medieval castle, or go punting on the river? Our team of Residential Advisors are here to help you get to know other students, explore the city, and have an authentic experience of life as a student at an Oxford college.