This module introduces students to some of the major developments in the novel, from its rise as a dominant literary form in the 18th century and tracing its transition to the end of the 19th century. Through a focus on a range of British and European novels, we will explore some of the main literary conventions and modes of writing (realism, romance, the gothic, naturalism, and popular genres) and also the movement towards modernist forms and techniques. We will consider the novels in their socio-historical context, as well as explore the literary techniques employed. Students will read the texts with a range of critical approaches and will consider the politics of the texts in terms of their ideological positioning around issues of gender, class, race and sexuality.