The aim of the course is to continue the introduction of students to systematic study of British literature, and to provide a chronological survey of its historical development. The time range covered by this course content is framed by the 18th century, and the end of the 19th century. Special focus will be on the discussion of the period of the Enlightenment and neo-classicism, and a detailed discussion of the rise of the novel as a prominent genre of "national literature," the period of Romanticism, and literature of the Victorian era. The course examines selected works by some of the most influential writers of the time periods in question, and discusses them in view of the social and cultural contexts in which they were created. The objective of the course is thus to develop students' literary-historical consciousness, and to train them in the ability to read literature critically and express qualified judgments in both oral and written forms. The course will combine a lecture format, supplemented with examples (textual, visual, possibly audiovisual extracts) with a seminar one, i.e. class discussions over the individual topics indicated on the syllabus and specific textual examples.