The sentimental novel is above all a phenomenon of 18th century literary history. But the patterns of showing and displaying, observing and manipulating feelings, which were first placed in evidence in sentimental fiction, continue to be visible in our public debates, in our social media and our popular culture. This course will allow students to engage and analyse two of the most famous sentimental novels (Henry Mackenzie’s The Man of Feeling [1771] and Laurence Sterne’s A Sentimental Journey [1768]). As background in literary history, we will approach the novels via a sentimental comedy (Richard Steele’s The Conscious Lovers [1722]) and a sentimental tragedy (George Lillo’s The London Merchant [1731]).
Students should purchase and read the two novels in the following [critical] editions:
Laurence Sterne, A Sentimental Journey and Other Writings, ed. Tim Parnell, Oxford World’s Classics, Oxford University Press, 2008.
Henry Mackenzie, The Man of Feeling, ed. Brian Vickers, Oxford World’s Classics, Oxford University Press, 2009.
The two plays will probably be made available as pdf-files, since no good critical editions appear to be in print.
WARNING: Online Booksellers offer a lot of ridiculously expensive editions (partly on demand) which are unusable and which reproduce versions of the texts which are free in the internet. Caution is recommended, please make sure that you purchase only the recommended editions.

Participation as a rule requires an oral input as part of active participation. Credits for BA Anglistik based on “Referat mit Ausarbeitung” (6 KP). All students with different course goals or requirements, please contact me.