This module will give students an opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of the history of the short story as literary genre. A detailed investigation of the English Short Story from 1890-1930 will offer a focal point for addressing generic issues of the form, and for exploring the relationship between literary writing and its cultural context, as a foundation for understanding present-day trends and identifying new writing challenges. Reference will be made to American writers and to European writers in translation to illustrate key issues and themes.