3 essays Art and the Emergence of Darwinism, English homework help

Art and the Emergence of Darwinism

Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species was published in 1859 under the reign of Queen Victoria when the rationalism of the Enlightenment in the 18th Century gave way to romanticism and superstition regarding social policy and religion. As a part of this intensified focus on the primacy of religion, sexual repression and social restraint were understood as norms of Victorian England.

This assignment requires students to explore the long ranging, historical impact of a singular cultural moment on societal perceptions as conveyed through writing.

Part 1: Speculation. (1 page) After reading Charles Darwin’s “Natural Selection” from The Origin of Species, write a paper that speculates how Darwin’s theories altered the sociocultural landscape of the late 19th Century. How would a public dedicated to the strict observance of religiously driven cultural values be altered as a result of Darwin’s work? Be sure to use direct textual evidence from the reading to support your claims.

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Part 2: Reflection. (1 page) To better understand the impact of a given cultural moment on the production of art, use the library journal database and book catalogue to research trends in the literary community contemporary to Darwin’s groundbreaking theory.

 Students will then compose a reflection paper, comparing their initial speculations regarding Darwin’s impact on society to that which they have discovered in their research. Where did your projections align? Where did they differ? What did you uncover in your research that you found interesting?

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Part 3: Application. (3 pages)The final portion of this assignment will require students to analyze Robert Louis Stevenson’s short story, “Olalla” as a product of the societal climate influenced by Darwin’s theories. Consider the following:

• How do the behaviors, attitudes, and actions of Stevenson’s characters reflect the social environment contemporary to his work?
• How is the cultural moment evident in the events of the plot?
• Are there any common themes, motifs, or words repeated and emphasized in Stevenson’s work?
• Why does Stevenson resolve the story the way that he does?

This analysis will require students to develop a critical perspective communicated via thesis and supported by the research they have uncovered in Part 2 of the assignment. Proper MLA documentation and a Works Cited page should be included.

Failure to submit Part 1 or Part 2 of this assignment will result in a 10 point deduction from the final grade for the assignment.