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Victorian novel or Victorian literature is the literature produced during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) (the Victorian era). It forms a link and transition between the writers of the romantic period and the very different literature of the 20th century. The 19th century is often regarded as a high point in British literature as well as in other countries such as France, the United States and Russia. Books, and novels in particular, became ubiquitous, and the "Victorian novelist" created legacy works with continuing appeal. Victorian Novel
Industrialization Education Themes Class Children
Education This novel exposes the appaling educational institutions of the Victorian period . Thought Nicholas ‘s eyes , the novel’s central hero,the reader sees a pitful group of boys bearing yhe marks of suffering and the comic ill-treatment meted out of them by the Squeers family. During the Victorian age , the school was required to teach to the student how to think ( there wasn’t freedom of thought). Must conform to the mass. Nicholas Nickleby, Charles Dickens: “ we go upon the pratical mode of teaching, Nickleby-theregular education system. C-l-e-a-n, clean, verb active, to make bright, to scour. W-i-n, win, d-e-r, winder, a casement. When the boy knows this out of book, he goes and does it. It’s just the same principle as the use of yhe globes.”
Industrialization This novel is set in Coketown, an imaginary town which recalls the actual enviroment of Nothern mill towns and becomes a symbolic representation of the economy and spiritual poverty that oppresses its working class. Industrialization is seen as a threat to making, as it tends to turn human beings into machines by suffocating their emotions and imagination. Hard Times, Charles Dickens:” itwas a townofredbrick , or ofbrickthatwouldhavebeenredif the smoke and ascheshadallowedit;” , “ a riverthatranpurplewithill-smellingdye” , “people equallylikeoneanother”, “everyday the sameasyesterday and tomorrow”, “ the jallmighthavebeen the infirmary.”
Children This novel describes the ill- treatmnet of children in the workhouses of the Victorian Age have never lost their endouring emotional appeal.the workhouse where Oliver and his companions live is based on charitable insttutions of the time which treated the poor as if poverty was a crime. Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens: “Oliver Twist and hiscompanionssuffered the tortuesof slow starvationforthreemonths” , “hewasafraidhemight some night happentoeat the boy whoslpetnexthim” , “the master aimed a blow at Oliver’s head withe the laddle” , “ that boy willbehung.”
Class In the Victorian Age there are two different class : the worker and the capitalist. The problem of relationship between one class and another, the desire to rise and fear of falling the social ladder and the problems that arose from exploitation of labour and corruption or inadequacy in the social services born by tree important thoughts: • Darwinism:only the strongest suvive • Puritanism : if you progress to the social ladder , the bless of God is recognazed. • Utilirarism: “time is money and must be invested well”
Features of Vivtorian Novel • The narrator is in third person; he is omniscent and intrusive ( Let us strike ; if the reader shoul prefer it ). So the reader is adressed have to follow the narrator’s thoughts. • The predominat settings are the city : the fenomenon of urbanization ( peoples move from the country to the town) • Linguistic devices : he juxtaposes or mixes sad and comic details ; he uses hiperbole , exagerations ( per diem); he ridicules what intendes to criticise by repeating words / phrases/ sencente structure (fact, fatc, fact ; man perfectly devoidof sentiment) , he uses the languange of sense impresions ( red brick , a river that ran purple with ill- smelling dye) , metaphorical use nof the language ( like the head of an elephant in a state of melancholy madness) .
Characterization : the useof pathos and grotesque. The narratordescribes the protagoniststhroughttheiraction and whattheysay ; using the irony and the exagerationtoentertaiment the readerbutalsoto do reflecthimabout the social conditionsofthatperiod. PATHOS wasanalogoustohuminatirianism and philantropy ; GROTESQUE describes the humorousstrategiesofdiscourseas the world of sin , vice and damnetion, the placeof the sinful and thereforedamned. the fuctionofVictorianNovelisto educate , toamuse and to create opinionsto the readers.
