A brief introduction to victorian literature a brief introduction into the branches of victorian literature susana arenas universidad metropolitana november 24th, 2015 2 a brief introduction to victorian literature abstract in this paper, the main literary branches of victorian literature, alongside the social, moral and political. Pdf a brief introduction into the branches of victorian literature. Introspection was inevitable in the literature of an immediately postromantic period, and the age itself was as prone to selfanalysis as. The victorian era placed high value on honor, duty, moral seriousness, and sexual propriety. History of english literature pdf included periods of. Literary elements of victorian literature pen and the pad.
Literature of this age tends to come closer to daily life which reflects its. Victorian literature 4 science, philosophy and discovery charles darwins work on the origin of species affected society and thought in the victoria era, and still does today. In the western tradition, the early periods of literary history are roughly as follows below. The era followed the georgian period and preceded the edwardian period, and its later half overlaps with the first part of the belle epoque era of continental europe. Characteristics of victorian literature the style of the victorian novel. Victorian literature refers to the literary works written during the reign of queen victoria 1837 1901. A great deal of change took place during this period brought about because of the industrial revolution. Characteristics of early victorian literature pen and the pad. Despite the variety of authors of english literature, the works of william shakespeare remain. It is a wonderful place vast, strange, new and impossible to describe. English literature in victorian age for lt gradetgt pgt. In this paper, the main literary branches of victorian literature, alongside the social, moral and political environment of this epoch will be explained. Victorian literature an overview victorian literature is the literature produced during the reign of queen victoria 18371901 and corresponds to the victorian era.
Victorian age 18371901 the victorian era was one of the most important eras in the history of english literature. After the second of several visits to the exhibition, she reported to her father. The late victorian period is set from 1870 to 1901, the year of queen victorias death. English literature is as diverse as the varieties and dialects of english spoken around the world.
Victorian women in literature university of craiova. It forms a link and transition between the writers of the romantic period and the very different literature of the 20th century. The victorian era was the great age of the english novelrealistic, thickly plotted, crowded with characters, and long. Selfconsciousness was the quality that john stuart mill identified, in 1838, as the daemon of the men of genius of our time. Victorian era literature characteristics english summary. Early periods of literature these periods are spans of time in which literature shared intellectual, linguistic, religious, and artistic influences.
The industrial revolution, the railway age, steam engines were being used in mines, factories and ships. While the postwar era was not a great period of english literature, it produced a variety of excellent critics, including william empson, frank kermode, and f. In victorian period, the view on women was around an image of women as both inferior and superior to men. In academia, the term often labels departments and programmes practising english studies in secondary and tertiary educational systems. But the victorian erathe 63year period from 18371901 that marked the reign of englands queen victoriaalso saw a demise of rural life as cities rapidly grew and expanded, long and. It is largely characterized by the struggle of working people and the triumph of right over wrong. In terms of periodization, the victorian era is succeeded or some might say, overthrown by the modern. Introduction to victorian and twentiethcentury literature xxxiii impressions of the spectacle. Kames has this view, marriage is a contract still more important, as the happiness of ones whole life may depend on it kames, 1800.
Boasting such canonical authors as charles dickens, the brontes and rudyard kipling, victorian literature features an array of literary elements that were cultivated through. Literary periods are spans of time for literature that shares intellectual, linguistic, religious, and artistic influences. Queen victoria q in 1840 she married a german prince, albert of saxecoburg. Other articles where victorian literature is discussed. The name given to the period is borrowed from the royal.
It was the ideal form to describe contemporary life and to entertain the middle class. If you study all the great writers of this period, you will mark four general characteristics. Historians, philosophers, and scientists were all beginning to apply the idea of evolution to new areas of study of the human experience. In 1859 charles darwin had published on the origin of species by means of natural selection. The cambridge history of victorian literature edited by kate. Henry augustin beers was a literature historian and professor at yale who lived at the turn of the 19th century. Victorian writing is placed in its complex relation to the empire, europe and america, as well as to britains component nations. You will also know about the style of writing of the poets and authors that prevailed back then. Unlike the preceding three volumes in this companion to british literature the medieval, early modern, and long eighteenth century the current one attempts to cover at least two distinct periods. Victorian literature is literature written in england during the reign of queen victoria, or roughly from 1837 1901. It was the transition between the romantic period and 20th century literature.
The modern spirit, matthew arnold observed in 1865, is now awake. The victorian period began roughly around the time of the beginning of queen victorias reign in 1837 and ended around her death in 1901. List of books and articles about victorian literature. Victorian literature 1 victorian literature herbert f. The victorian age 18301901 sambourne house, london.
Defining victorian literature in any satisfactory and comprehensive manner has proven troublesome for critics ever since the nineteenth century came to a close. The movement roughly comprises the years from 1830 to 1900, though there is ample disagreement regarding even this simple point. Victorian, synonym for prude, stood for extreme repression. Victorian literature and culture by maureen moran, 9780826488848, download free ebooks, download free pdf epub ebook. Nov 25, 2016 starting year of victorian literature victorian literature in real sense started form 1832 when tennysons first important volume of poems appeared. Charles dickens 18121870 dominated the first part of victorias. In the later decades of the victorian era thomas hardy was an important novelist. As we continue discussing the world of british literature, i want to try something new this week and instead of analyzing a book i want to analyze the two periods of literature that we have been discussing in class. Still have brutal factory conditions, low wages, and crowded cities, but the 1830s mark the beginning of political and social reform acts.
We find the references of all these things in the literature of this particular age. Many important social and historical changes altered the structure of the nation. Victorian literature is the literature produced during the reign of queen victoria 18371901 and corresponds to the victorian era. The period was also marked by a number of highly individual novelists, including kingsley amis, anthony burgess, william golding, doris lessing, iris murdoch, and muriel spark. Hunt, the awakening conscience, 18534, london, tate britain.
Victorian literature is the literature produced during the reign of queen victoria 18371901 a. Victorian literature is literature, mainly written in english, during the reign of queen victoria. This period was marked by tremendous cultural upheaval. Small towns were beginning to swell into smoky centres of mnaufacturing industry. Victorian novel and the late victorian period duration. During this time, england was undergoing a cultural upheaval read this article to know about the characteristic features of victorian age, characteristics of the victorian era society, victorian age characteristics.
He wrote intensely detailed histories of american and english literature, covering the periods up until what were his modern times. Although victorian poetry was quite different from that of the preceding era, yet there were some similarities that existed between the two periods. While in the preceding romantic period, poetry had been the conquerors, novels were the emperors of the victorian period. From the context that surrounded the realm of queen victoria, to the scientific findings made by naturalist charles darwin, the victorian era was a period full of time. Victorian literature is literature, mainly written in english, during the reign of queen victoria 18371901 the victorian era. The victorian age is so complicated and long that for the sake of convenience that era is divided into two periods. Queen victoria, at the age of 18 ruled england continuously for 64 years until her death. This quizworksheet combo will help you understand some of the common themes and characteristics of victorian literature and the leading literary voices that emerged during this era. The victorian era was a time in british history that spanned from 1837 to 1901, the period during which queen victoria ruled the british empire.
Introduction to victorian and twentiethcentury literature. High victorian literature 18301870 late victorian literature 18701901 4. The paper reveals that the woman question was so preoccupying that no writer could avoid it during the victorian period and that feminism really or essentially started during the victorian period when women were given or got remarkable improvements in their lives. England was moving steadily in the direction of becoming europe. Literary periods are never the discrete, self contained realms which the anthologies so suggest. The world of shadows and superstition that was victorian england, so well depicted in this 1871 tale, was unique.
The novels of charles dickens, full to overflowing with drama, humor, and an endless variety of vivid characters and plot complications. A brief introduction into the branches of victorian literature. While the foundations of so much of our present knowledge of subjects like medicine, public health, electricity, chemistry and agriculture, were being, if not laid, at least mapped out, people could still believe in the existence of devils and demons. In the history of the united kingdom, the victorian era was the period of queen victorias reign, from 20 june 1837 until her death on 22 january 1901. Rather, a literary period more closely resembles a rope that is. This period is characterized by a loss of values and a general sense of crisis and disillusion.
English literature english literature late victorian literature. Some literature published before queen victorias reign, such as jane austens pride and prejudice, portend the style and preoccupations of early victorian literature and are. Throughout these pages, the needs of an era greatly affected by the arriving of the industrial. The following links, organized by literary period, are to the librarys catalog for works by author, title, literary movement, type of work, etc. If you are searching for history of english literature pdf, please scroll down. The final chapters consider how victorian literature, and the period as a whole, influenced twentiethcentury writers. Mar 22, 2019 the victorian period revolves around the political career of queen victoria. Certainly the central cultural symbol of the victorian period is the soaring of.
It was preceded by romanticism and followed by the edwardian era 19011910. Shift from agrarian society to industrial society creates a middle class neither rich nor poor. A companion to victorian literature and culture while in the preceding romantic period poetry had been the dominant genre, it was the novel that was most important in the victorian period. Nov 28, 2017 in this article on the history of english literature, youll be getting a glimpse of almost every age of english literature. The victorian era was an important time for the development of science and the victorians had a mission to describe and classify the entire natural world. The dates of the victorian era 18361901 coincide with queen victorias ascension to the throne and her death. Victorian literature english literature britannica. Research article open access an overview of feminism in the. There were a drastic change and development in the form of literature, art and music. She was crowned in 1837 and died in 1901 which put a definite end to her political career. English literature late victorian literature britannica. In the later decades of the victorian era thomas hardy was the most important novelist. The victorian era, which covered most of the 19th century in britain, was a time of dramatic adjustment in the lives of most of the population.
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