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. The main difference between victorian and modernist literature is the shift towards questioning the omniscient narrator. England was moving steadily in the direction of becoming europe. A brief introduction into the branches of victorian literature. In 1859 charles darwin had published on the origin of species by means of natural selection. The novels of charles dickens, full to overflowing with drama, humor, and an endless variety of vivid characters and plot complications. She was crowned in 1837 and died in 1901 which put a definite end to her political career. Historians, philosophers, and scientists were all beginning to apply the idea of evolution to new areas of study of the human experience. Dubliners published in 1914 is a part of the modernist literature along with the portrait of the artist as a young man and ulysses. Historical background of victorian age english literature. Victorian era literature characteristics english summary. Starting year of victorian literature victorian literature in real sense started form 1832 when tennysons first important volume of poems appeared. Although romantic in subject matter, his poetry was tempered by personal melancholy.
During this time, england was undergoing a tremendous cultural upheaval. The word victorian suggests a few features of the literature including poetry of the nineteenth century. Essay 65 george bernard shaw 24 history of english literature essay 104 history of english literature short questions 142 indian english 56 key facts 1 literary essays 18 literary terms 30 men that keep attention 14 middle english 14 model question 50 modern period 287 neoclassical age 37 new literature 11 novel 3 old english. A great deal of change took place during this periodbrought about because of the industrial revolution. Throughout these pages, the needs of an era greatly affected by the arriving of the industrial. There was a shift from an objective all knowing to a subjective. The first reform act granted the vote to almost all male members of middleclass. Gender roles and sexuality in victorian literature.
He was elected to the oxford professorship of poetry in 1857. Victorian literature refers to the literary works written during the reign of queen victoria 1837 1901. Poetry the preeminent poet of the victorian age was alfred, lord tennyson. The victorian age 18301901 sambourne house, london. Victorian literature and culture, volume 47, issue 3. It was the time of the worlds first industrial revolution, political reform and social change, charles dickens and charles darwin, a railway boom and the first telephone and telegraph. Shewastorule for almost 64 years and gave her name to an age of economic and scientiic progress and social reforms. The factory act regulated child labour in factories. Characteristics of early victorian literature pen and. The victorian age was a time of great prosperity in the history of english literature. The victorian era placed high value on honor, duty, moral seriousness, and sexual propriety. It is a wonderful place vast, strange, new and impossible to describe. Victorian literature is the literature produced during the reign of queen victoria 18371901 a. English literature 19th century history and criticism category.
What are the salient features of the victorian age in. The third reform act granted the right to vote to all male householders. Matthew arnolds theories of literature and culture laid the foundations for modern literary criticism, and his poetry is also notable. Victorian literature literature chegg tutors youtube. History of english literature pdf included periods of. Introduction to victorian and twentiethcentury literature. The victorian era was the great age of the english novelrealistic, thickly plotted, crowded with characters, and long. Charles dickens 18121870 dominated the first part of victorias reign.
Victorian writing is placed in its complex relation to the empire, europe and america, as well as to britains component nations. The lowerclass became more selfconscious, the middle class more powerful and the rich became more vulnerable. The period of queen victorias reign, from 1837 until her death in 1901 was marked by sweeping progress and ingenuity. Shift from agrarian society to industrial society creates a. The victorian period began roughly around the time of the beginning of queen victorias reign in 1837 and ended around her death in 1901. Boasting such canonical authors as charles dickens, the brontes and rudyard kipling, victorian literature features an array of literary elements that were cultivated through shifting social norms. The final chapters consider how victorian literature, and the period as a whole, influenced twentiethcentury writers. The modern spirit, matthew arnold observed in 1865, is now awake. The second reform act gave the vote to skilled working men. There were a drastic change and development in the form of literature, art and music. The victorian era was a time of change during the reign of.
The lowerclass became more selfconscious but on the other hand, the middleclass people got more power in them. The victorian age, more formally known, was a time of great prosperity in great britains literature. The victorian era was an important time for the development of science and the victorians had a. Queen victoria q in 1840 she married a german prince, albert of saxecoburg. Its grandeur does not consist in one thing, but in the unique assemblage of all things. English literature late victorian literature britannica. 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. While in the preceding romantic period poetry had been the dominant genre, it was the novel that was most important in the victorian period. The victorian period revolves around the political career of queen victoria. But to any one who feels literature as human, the empty chair of cobbett is more solemn and significant than the throne.
In this paper, the main literary branches of victorian literature, alongside the social, moral and political environment of this epoch will be explained. High victorian literature 18301870 late victorian literature 18701901 4. Download the victorian age in literature free in pdf. James joyce set his novels and short stories in a small city of dublin.
Victorian age and modern literature the victorian age and the modern literature era are two very different times for the literature world. The industrial revolution, the railway age, steam engines were being used in mines, factories and ships. Victorian era, the period between about 1820 and 1914, corresponding roughly to the period of queen victorias reign 18371901 and characterized by a classbased society, a growing number of people able to vote, a growing state and economy, and britains status as the most powerful empire in the world. Each era had a big impact through literature, politics, and economics. When queen victoria came to the throne in 1837,shewasjust18yearsold.
After the second of several visits to the exhibition, she reported to her father. English literature english literature late victorian literature. Introduction to victorian and twentiethcentury literature xxxiii impressions of the spectacle. After receiving a classics degree from oxford and spending a brief spell in paris, arnold spent most of his life working as a schools inspector. With him died the sort of democracy that was a return to nature, and which only poets and mobs can understand.
Brings together obituaries from the times of john thadeus delane 184177 and his successors, and shows how some of the leading personalities of the 19th century were viewed by a paper that was itself one of the defining institutions of the age. 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 sometimes included in victorian canons. It was the ideal form to describe contemporary life and to entertain the middle class. Small towns were beginning to swell into smoky centres of mnaufacturing industry. Pdf the victorian age download full pdf book download.
This book is available for free download in a number of formats including epub, pdf, azw, mobi and more. It was the transition between the romantic period and 20th century literature. Political and social reform produced a variety of reading among all classes. The oxford handbook of victorian literary culture is a major contribution to the dynamic field of victorian studies. In poetry and literature, it carries the suggestion of pessimistic subject, elegiac tone, lyrical expression, musical poetry, description of the misery of the poor or old people, theme of dissatisfaction with the loss of old values and sudden modernization and degradation of the society. Still have brutal factory conditions, low wages, and crowded cities, but the 1830s mark the beginning of political and social reform acts. Victorian society was based on a set of moral values that could only be fulfilled by the middle and upper classes. List of books and articles about victorian literature.
You can also read the full text online using our ereader. English literature in victorian age for lt gradetgt pgt. Although victorian poetry was quite different from that of the preceding era, yet there were some similarities that existed between the two periods. It was not only the year that queen victoria acceded the throne, but also the year that a new literary age was coined. The victorian age in literature free c lassic ebooks. The victorian age is so complicated and long that for the sake of convenience that era is divided into two periods. The cambridge history of victorian literature edited by. Literary elements of victorian literature pen and the pad. Stephen daedalus is a central character both in the portrait and ulysses. Good press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. This collection of 37 original chapters by leading international victorian scholars offers new. Test your knowledge on victorian literature, a broad term for the english prose and poetry written during queen victorias long 19th century reign.
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