The Victorian Novel
Imagine a time when the world was changing faster than ever before - that was the Victorian era in England, a period that gave rise to a new kind of story that still captivates readers today.
During this period, a new type of story appeared: the Victorian novel. These novels were not just tales of adventure or romance; they reflected the society of the time. They explored important themes such as love, loss, social injustice, and the effects of industrialization.
As you explore Victorian novels, you will discover fascinating characters, engaging plots, and important social commentary. You will learn about people from different backgrounds and how they navigated the fast-changing world around them.
Studying Victorian novels can help you improve your reading and writing skills, and gain a better understanding of history and human nature.
Key Features of Victorian Novels
Victorian novels share several key features:
Social Commentary: They often explored and criticized social issues of their time.
Complex Characters: The characters were multifaceted and developed over the course of the story.
Complex Plots: The plots were complex and intertwined.
Moral Lessons: Many novels aim to teach moral lessons to their readers.
Origin and Definition
The Victorian novel evolved from earlier literary traditions, particularly the Gothic and Romantic movements of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It is broadly defined as an extensive work of fiction, published during Queen Victoria's reign, reflecting the social, moral, and cultural values of the era. The focus and style of these novels shifted as the Victorian period progressed.
Early Victorian Novels
Early Victorian novels, written between 1837 and 1850, were often characterized by the following:
Features
- Social Realism: The novels depicted the harsh realities of life in Victorian England, including poverty, crime, and social injustice.
- Moral Didacticism: They aimed to teach moral lessons and promote social reform.
- Serialization: Many novels were published in installments, allowing readers to follow the story over time.
- Omniscient Narrator: Authors typically used an all-knowing narrator to guide readers and provide commentary.
Characters
Early Victorian novels often featured characters representing social types or moral qualities. They became more complex over time.
Examples
1. "Oliver Twist" (1837-1839) by Charles Dickens
2. "Jane Eyre" (1847) by Charlotte Brontë
3. "Wuthering Heights" (1847) by Emily Brontë
4. "Vanity Fair" (1848) by William Makepeace Thackeray
'Oliver Twist', by Charles Dickens, exemplifies many early Victorian novel characteristics. It portrays poverty and crime in London, critiques social institutions like workhouses, and uses an omniscient narrator to guide readers' moral judgments.
Late Victorian Novels
Late Victorian novels, written between the 1860s and 1901, often explored:
Features
Psychological Depth: They examined the inner thoughts and motivations of characters.
Social and Moral Ambiguity: They questioned traditional values and explored complex moral dilemmas.
Experimentation with Form: They experimented with different narrative styles and techniques.
Characters
Late Victorian novels often featured more morally ambiguous characters, reflecting the era's growing uncertainties.
Examples
1. "Great Expectations" (1861) by Charles Dickens
2. "Middlemarch" (1871-1872) by George Eliot
3. "The Return of the Native" (1878) by Thomas Hardy
4. "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1890) by Oscar Wilde
"Middlemarch", by George Eliot, is a prime example of the late Victorian novel. It explores characters' psychologies, questions social conventions, and presents a complex, nuanced view of society.
To understand the lasting impact of Victorian novels on literature and culture, it is important to know their key featuresand historical context.