Why literary periods mattered : historical contrast and the prestige of English studies

In the mid-nineteenth century, the study of English literature began to be divided into courses that surveyed discrete "periods." Since that time, scholars' definitions of literature and their rationales for teaching it have changed radically. But the periodized structure of the curriculum has remained oddly unshaken, as if the exercise of contrasting one literary period with another has an importance that transcends the content of any individual course. __Why Literary Periods Mattered__ explains how historical contrast became central to literary study, and why it remained institutionally central in spite of critical controversy about literature itself. Organizing literary history around contrast rather than causal continuity helped literature departments separate themselves from departments of history. But critics' long reliance on a rhetoric of contrasted movements and fateful turns has produced important blind spots in the discipline. In the twenty-first century, Underwood argues, literary study may need digital technology in particular to develop new methods of reasoning about gradual, continuous change. In The Mid-nineteenth Century, The Study Of English Literature Began To Be Divided Into Courses That Surveyed Discrete Periods. Since That Time Scholars' Definitions Of Literature And Their Rationales For Teaching It Have Changed, But The Periodized Structure Of The Curriculum Has Remained Oddly Unshaken, As If Contrasting One Literary Period With Another Has An Importance That Transcends The Content Of Any Individual Course. Why Literary Periods Mattered Explains How Historical Contrast Became Central To Literary Study And Why It Remained Institutionally Central In Spite Of Critical Controversy About Literature Itself. Organizing Literary History Around Contrast Rather Than Causal Continuity Helped Literature Departments Separate Themselves From Departments Of History. But Critics' Long Reliance On A Rhetoric Of Contrasted Movements And Fateful Turns Has Produced Important Blind Spots In The Discipline. In The Twenty-first Century, Underwood Argues, Literary Study May Need Digital Technology In Particular To Develop New Methods Of Reasoning About Gradual Continuous Change. -- From Back Cover. Introduction : Historical Contrast And The Prestige Of Literary Culture -- Historical Unconsciousness In The Novel, 1790-1819 -- The Invention Of Historical Perspective -- The Invention Of The Period Survey Course -- The Disciplinary Rationale For Periodization, And A Forgotten Challenge To It (1886-1949) -- Stories Of Parallel Lives And The Status Anxieties Of Historicism In The 1990s -- Digital Humanities And The Future Of Literary History. Ted Underwood. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Introduction : historical contrast and the prestige of literary culture -- Historical unconsciousness in the novel, 1790-1819 -- The invention of historical perspective -- The invention of the period survey course -- The disciplinary rationale for periodization, and a forgotten challenge to it (1886-1949) -- Stories of parallel lives and the status anxieties of historicism in the 1990s -- Digital humanities and the future of literary history. In the mid-nineteenth century, the study of English literature began to be divided into courses that surveyed discrete "periods." Since that time, scholars' definitions of literature and their rationales for teaching it have changed radically. But the periodized structure of the curriculum has remained oddly unshaken, as if the exercise of contrasting one literary period with another has an importance that transcends the content of any individual course. Why Literary Periods Mattered explains how historical contrast became central to literary study, and why it remained institutionally central in spite of critical controversy about literature itself. Organizing literary history around contrast rather than causal continuity helped literature departments separate themselves from departments of history. But critics' long reliance on a rhetoric of contrasted movements and fateful turns has produced important blind spots in the discipline. In the twenty-first century, Underwood argues, literary study may need digital technology in particular to develop new methods of reasoning about gradual, continuous change "In the mid-nineteenth century, the study of English literature began to be divided into courses that surveyed discrete ""periods."" Since that time, scholars' definitions of literature and their rationales for teaching it have changed radically. But the periodized structure of the curriculum has remained oddly unshaken, as if the exercise of contrasting one literary period with another has an importance that transcends the content of any individual course. Why Literary Periods Mattered explains how historical contrast became central to literary study, and why it remained institutionally central in spite of critical controversy about literature itself. Organizing literary history around contrast rather than causal continuity helped literature departments separate themselves from departments of history. But critics' long reliance on a rhetoric of contrasted movements and fateful turns has produced important blind spots in the discipline. In the twenty-first century, Underwood argues, literary study may need digital technology in particular to develop new methods of reasoning about gradual continuous change."--Provided by publisher This book explains how period survey courses became central to literary study in the nineteenth century, why they remained central in the twentieth, and why, in the digital age, they may now be giving ground to alternate models of literary history.