Nineteenth-Century British Novel

Study Questions: Foucault, Poovey, Armstrong

Foucault:

• Why is the Victorian period so important to Foucault’s rewriting of Western Sexuality?
• In the beginning of the second part, Foucault starts talking about language and discourse. What is the difference between language and discourse?
• What is the relationship between the repressive hypothesis, language, and discourse?
• How does the kind of discursive power evolving in 19 th century differ from the power of the law?
• What does the idea of PLEASURE have to do with this power?
• How can Foucault’s theory help us in our study of the novel? What kinds of questions can his ideas bring to bear for us in our readings of critics?

Poovey:

• Where does Poovey’s argument intersect with / use Foucault’s theoretical framework? Where does Poovey deviate or make her own argument?
• How might we use Poovey in our readings of primary texts?

Armstrong:

• Where does Armstrong intersect with Poovey? With Foucault?
• How might we use Armstrong in our readings of primary texts?
• According to Armstrong (ch. 4), what happened between Austen’s time and Brontë’s? What is primary difference between these two novelists according to Armstrong?