Victorian Novel: Exploration of Society's Realities and Injustices

1. VICTORIAN NOVEL

2. During the VictorianAgefor the first timetherewas a communion of interests and opinionsbetween writers and readersenormousgrowth of the middle classeswhowereavid consumers of literature, theyborrowed books from circulatinglibraries and read variousperiodicals. A great deal of Victorian Literaturewas first published in instalmentsin the pages of periodicals, whichallowed the writer to feel he was in constantcontact with his readers. Literary Background – VICTORIAN NOVEL

3. The NOVEL became the most popular form of literature and also the main form of entertainment since books were read aloud within the family. NOVELISTS felt they had a moral and social responsibility to fulfil: they depicted society as they saw it (realism) and denounced its evils (criticism) they aimed at making readers realise social injustices Literary Background – VICTORIAN NOVEL

4. WOMEN WRITERS: a great number of novels were written by women. This is surprising if we consider the state of subjection of Victorian women, but at the same time they were the majority of novel-buyers and of readers. However, it was not easy to publish books, so some women writers decided to use male pseudonyms in order to see their novels in print. Literary Background – VICTORIAN NOVEL

5. The narrator isobtrusive and omniscient: he provideshiscomments on the plot and he establishes a rigidbarrierbetweenwhatis right or wrong (judge); retribution and punishmentusuallyappear in the final chapterwhereall the events, adventures, incidents are explained and justified. Didacticaim Linearity (stories have a beginning, a middle, an end) VICTORIAN NOVEL – main features

6. Long complicated plots and sub-plots Urban setting: the city was the most common setting, the main symbol of industrial civilisation as well the expression of anonymous lives and lost identities Precise creation of characters and deep analysis of characters’ inner lives (psychology) Most popular genre = “Bildungsroman” (novel of formation) Main themes: money, wealth, realistic portrait of society denouncing its injustices and iniquities VICTORIAN NOVEL – main features

7. VICTORIAN NOVEL From a structural point of view we can divide Victorian Novels mainly into three groups: 1) EARLY-VICTORIAN NOVEL(or social-problem novel) dealing with social and humanitarian themes realism, criticism of social evils, but faith in progress, general optimism The main representative writer was CHARLES DICKENS

8. VICTORIAN NOVEL 2) MID-VICTORIAN NOVEL(novel of purpose) showing Romantic and Gothic elements and a psychological interest. The main representative writers were the BRONTË sisters and R.L. STEVENSON

9. VICTORIAN NOVEL 3) LATE- VICTORIAN NOVEL(naturalistic novel near to European Naturalism)showing a scientific look at human life, objectivity of observation, dissatisfaction with Victorian values. The main representative writers were T. HARDY and O. WILDE.

10. VICTORIAN NOVEL Other minor forms of noveldeveloped in thisperiod: 4) Novel of Manners focusing on economicproblems of a particularclass (W.Thackeray) 5) Colonialist Fiction presenting an exaltation of Britishimperialisticpower (R.Kipling) 6) Nonsense literature dealing with fantasticadventures (L.Carroll)