Black Narcissus: Exploring Colonial Literature

When & Where

20 March 2025 - 27 March 2025 ( 4 hours, 2 weeks )
Afternoon, Thursday
View course timetable
Waterloo Centre

Quick Facts

Availability Yes
Tutor Caroline Ings-Chambers
Course Code W24HMSC02A
Suitable For 19 year olds and up are permitted on this course

What you will learn

This course invites you to enter the vibrant yet complex cultural landscape of colonial India through literature. In her spellbinding novel ‘Black Narcissus’, Rumer Godden draws inspiration from the vivid contrast between Indian culture and the traditional system of British colonialism. The novel imports an extreme form of European asceticism into the fertile vibrancy of the Indian landscape and culture. The inevitable explosion is primed.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

Gain understanding of colonial India through the lens of the novel
Explore the social, political, and cultural dynamics of British rule in India during early twentieth century
Examine the impact of colonialism on individuals and communities: identity, subjugation, resistance, collaboration, racial prejudice, the struggle for independence
Develop skills in literary criticism
Explore the enduring value of the chosen novel in terms of world cultural history and modern attitudes towards colonialism.

Cost

Full fee

£45

Concession fee

£45

Class format and activities

The course will cultivate a communicative and engaging learning environment in which students can appreciate and explore Rumer Godden’s ‘Black Narcissus’. Activities include interactive lectures, class and small group discussion. Through close reading and analysis, students will learn how to identify key dramatic events, evaluate effective writing and literary techniques. Discussions will involve collaborative exploration of colonial themes and interpretations of the legacy of colonialism, and the enduring value of the chosen novel in terms of world cultural history and modern attitudes towards colonialism.

Entry requirements

This course is open to anyone with an interest in literature and British colonialism in India. No prior knowledge of India or the chosen novel is required. The ability to read and speak English at a good level of fluency will be helpful to participation on this course.