Fall 2026 Courses

ENGL 9XX and MUS 9XX
Gothic Revivals:  Reimagining the Past in 19th-century Britain 

(counts the equivalent of two full courses)

When you think of "the Middle Ages" or "the Gothic," what do you imagine?  Chances are, you're thinking of something that was invented or at least reshaped during the nineteenth century.  The chivalrous King Arthur, the operatic Valkyrie with spear and magic helmet, the spiky architecture of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Hogwarts, and even Peters Hall—all these are products of the medieval revivals that occurred across the European arts, and particularly in Britain, in the nineteenth century.  In this course we will explore a wide range of creative uses of the past:  in music, poetry, visual art, architecture, and popular culture.  We will visit Pre-Raphaelite paintings and monastic ruins, read Arthurian poems, and think about what makes a piece of music "Gothic."  We will see first-hand how the Victorian fascination with the Middle Ages transformed key parts of London (and college architecture everywhere).  And we will ask, "why?"  Where did this enthusiasm for the Middle Ages come from, and what kept it going?  How did older forms and themes feed modern creativity?  How was neo-medievalism related to social issues (e.g. industrialism, expanding suffrage, women's rights) and political movements (from conservative neo-feudalism to utopian socialism)?  And how do its ideas and forms persist today, in everything from popular fantasy to the enduring narratives of British identity?  

Two full courses, HU credit. Counts as a 200- or 300-level English course or a 200- or 300- level Musicology course (8 HU credits), depending on final project option.  Jennifer Bryan and Charles McGuire
 

ENGL 9XX
Shakespeare in England, Then and Now 
 

Get the backstage tour of the Globe theater.  Immerse yourself in the spaces and places of Elizabethan England.  Check out the First Folio.  Spend a day in Stratford-on-Avon.  Watch cutting-edge productions that re-imagine Shakespeare for modern, multicultural London audiences.  And, of course, read and discuss a broad selection of Shakespeare's plays with your Oberlin peers.  London offers unparalleled resources for studying Shakespeare in both historical and contemporary contexts; it is an ideal place to explore what the plays might have meant then, and what they can mean to us now.  In addition to our core activities of studying the plays and seeing as many of them as possible in performance, we will often be out and about in London, exploring sites that provide various kinds of cultural context and insight.

Counts as one full 300-level English course, fulfilling the pre-1800 requirement for English majors.  Counts as one Textual Studies course for Creative Writing majors.   HU credits.  Jennifer Bryan
 

MUSY 9XX
Crossroads: British Music/Music in Britain

London is home to one of the most vibrant international musical cultures extant on the planet today, and has been a musical crossroads since the late 17th century. Most famous European composers and performers visited London at some point, from Mozart to Beyoncé; some, like Handel, made the city their permanent home. The city has also long been home to institutions that supported indigenous British musicians, like Westminster Abbey and the Royal College of Music. And through the vestiges of colonialism and post-colonial immigration, Britain in general and London in particular has become a capital of the commercialization of music from all over the world. In this course, we will study both the music composed and made in Great Britain as well as the music that was made there by emigrants and frequent visitors to the country from approximately 600 to the present. This will include multivalent investigations of sacred music, the rise of opera and concert music in Great Britain, as well as the great flowerings of musical theatre, folk music, jazz, rock & roll, and music from beyond Europe and North America. In doing so, we will tease out the sometimes-troubling relationship that the various British peoples had with music: should music be considered a diverting pastime, something to be collected and consumed, but not be taken seriously? Or could music be a tool to both entertain and enlighten? 
 

Full course, HU credit. Counts as a 300-level course in in Musicology, fulfilling major credit requirements for Conservatory majors and College Musical Studies majors. Charles Edward McGuire

LOND 907
A History of London

This course explores the history of London from its Roman origins to the present day and examines how royalty, trade, religion, and transport have shaped the city’s pattern of growth over 2000 years. Taught through a combination of classroom study and weekly walking tours and site visits.

Full course, SS credit. Counts toward the History major. Katy Layton-Jones

LOND 908
The London Stage

This course aims to expose students to contemporary British theatre in all it variety. At its heart will be discussion of productions in the current London repertory, with plays ranging from classical to contemporary, and venues including subsidized, commercial, and fringe theatres. Field trips required. 

Full course, HU credit. Counts towards the English major. Gemma Miller