The Victorians (1837-1901) Historical tendencies which have affected

The Victorians (1837-1901)

Historical tendencies which have affected life and literature. Political and economical tendencies 1. This period ruled by Queen Victoria (1837-1901), Victorian qualities: earnestness, moral responsibility, domestic propriety 2. the Reform Bill of 1832 Common people by their representatives in the House of Commons are the real rulers of England, the privileges of royalty and nobility are diminished English government, society and literature have all become more democratic. The masses of men begin to be educated. Writers created works that appeared in answer to the demand for reading matter. 3. London becomes most important city in Europe 4. The Industrial Revolution. Shift from ownership of land to modern urban economy Unemployment, poverty, rebellions, working conditions for women and children were terrible Tendency of imperialism: The United Kingdom expanded its borders into America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania and became the first economic and political world power (Somerset Maugham’s “The Moon and Sixpence”, Rudyard Kipling’s “Soldiers Three”)

Main periods The Early Victorian period (1830-1848) is described as romantic and sentimental, the youth, courtship and marriage of the queen Victoria reflected literature of that time. Early Victorian works were highly descriptive and emotionally expressive and strove to be earnest and wholesome showing the impact of the British industrial prosperity on the working class life. The Mid-Victorian period (1848-1870) is characterized by prosperity, stability and optimism that reflected in the literary works The Late Victorian period (1870-1901) A great impact on the works of this period made the decay of social values, economic instability, the British imperialism, international conflicts and socialism.

The main literary tendencies 1. In the early Victorian period the Victorian social humanitarianism is merely the developed form of the eighteenth century romantic democratic impulse. 2. Beginning with the Mid-Victorian period writer’s realism tried to show "life as it was": - a reaction to Romanticism - stress on reason and positivism - features of scientific scepticism 3. The most important literature of the whole period are literature for children and popular literature 4. Prose: The beginning of the lyric prose that communicates ideas expressing it beautifully. Genres: novels, essays, short stories, prose fiction, tales 5. Women wrote and published their works in which the major characters were women struggling to survive and adopting to the situation (the Brontes, Jane Austin). 6. Children became the main characters of the novels (Charles Dickens)

Novel Novels are the most important literary form of the period Novels represent a large social world with a variety of classes and were read by an educated middle class Major themes 1. The place of the individual in society (Subthemes: middle class, children, poverty family, position of women, business) 2. The British imperialism The protagonist’s search for fulfillment is symbolical of the human condition. Characters are idealized portraits of difficult lives in which hard work, perseverance, love and luck win out in the end. Virtue would be rewarded and wrongdoers are suitably punished. Writers told about the time they lived in (Charles Dickens, the Brontes) Novel was also a form of entertainment Novels: “The Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens, “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Bronte)

Poetry 1. Some features of Romanticism remain in poetry of the early Victorian period The use of archaic language and the revision of many old forms (the mixture of lyric and elegy which influenced the development of epigram) Experimentation with genres. Some poets continued the movement of colloquial diction into poetry (Robert Browning) 2. Poets tried new ways of telling stories in verse 3. Dramatic monologue (Alfred Tennyson) 4. Poets use detail to construct visual images that represent the emotion or situation the poem concerns.( Thomas Hardy)

Theatre The theater was a flourishing and popular institution during the Victorian period. Comedy became popular (Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde) The popularity of theater influenced other genres.

The Early Victorian period (1830-1848)

CHARLES DICKENS (1812-1870) 1. Dickens worked to produce the entertaining writing that the public wanted and also to offer commentary on social problems and the plight of the poor and oppressed. 2. Realism: Charles Dickens wrote vividly about London life and the struggles of the poor, but in a good-humoured fashion 3. He used humorous interludes and the motive of horror 4. His works were acceptable to readers of all classes 5. London became a centre of the events 6. Main themes: man in the society (classes, poverty, education), childhood, industrialization (urban life) 7. Characters: - Grotesque characters - A medley of picturesque characters good and bad. They are pathetic, innocent and poor people, an unfortunate child who faces the real life problems and whose sorrows are exaggerated) - London as a character 8. His early works are masterpieces of comedy (“the Pickwick Papers”). Later his works became darker: “Oliver Twist”, “David Copperfield”, “Bleak House”, the story “A Christmas Carol”.

William Thackeray (1811-1863) Thackeray’s works were realistic, intellectual and pessimistic (“The Virginians”, the novel “Pendennis”) Thackeray looked at people with critical eyes. While narrating he interrupts the story in order to moralize the reader. Most of his works had been humorous and satirical in spirit but his last novels and Cornhill essays were more patient of human nature, and more hopeful. Thackeray expressed a great tenderness for children (a fairy story for children “The Rose and the Ring”) He depicted a more upper and middle class society. Genres: novel, literary and historical essays, short story In his historical novels character’s thoughts and language are a realistic portrayal of an age gone by (the novel “Henry Esmond”) Themes: Classes of society (Social position of women, marriage and family) Children History British Imperialism Characters: Noble people (gentlemen, ladies, military men of high rank) Prominent figures of history

“The Vanity Fair, A Novel without a Hero” (1848) “Vanity Fair” was Thackeray’s first notable satire and the foundation of reputation as a writer for the upper classes. Thackeray makes his novel a moralizing exposition of the shams of society. Thackeray explains in his preface that characters are “mere puppets,” which must move when he pulls the strings. By contrasting lives of the two characters, the unprincipled Becky Sharp and the spineless Amelia, Thackeray shows a variety of fools and snobs, mostly well-drawn, all carefully analyzed to point on the weakness or villainy

Jane Austin (1775-1817) She shared the chronological time with the Romantics, but she shares some of the features of Realism. Her novels “Sense and Sensibility”, “Pride and Prejudice” Her primary interest is people Realism: the exact presentation of human situations and in the description of characters that are really living creatures. Her novels deal with the life of rural land-owners, seen from a woman’s point of view Novels have little action but are full of humour and true dialogue.

Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892) Speaking for Victorian age and nation Tennyson reflected thoughts, feelings and culture of society, its intellectual quest, its moral endeavor, its passion for justice. Tennyson’s poetry is characterized by romantic spirit, love of nature, sense of verbal melody. He looked out upon a world where love, truth, beauty, inspiring realities were still waiting to reveal themselves to human eyes. He used dramatic monologue written in blank verse revealed irony in his works Genres: poem, legend, romance, battle song, love lyric, historical drama, series of elegies Themes: Problems of society (the narrative poem “The Princess: a Medley”) Questions of science (the poem “The Making of Man”) Nature (the poem“The Lotos-Eaters”) The answer of faith (the poem“ In Memoriam”) Imperialism of Britain (the poem “Opening of the Indian and Colonial Exposition”) Patriotism (“Ode on the Death of Wellington”) Characters: - middle class people - classic and medieval heroes (a series of twelve poems “the Idylls of the King”, “Morte d’Arthur” , “Lady Clare”) - Nature - Tennyson represents a character that is young and full of hope and then the same character grown old, despondent and carping but still holding to his ideals (E. g. The poem “Ullysys” that reflected the magnificent appeal to manhood, reflecting the spirit of explorers who dared unknown lands to make wide the foundations of imperial England)

ROBERT BROWNING (1812-1889) Browning wrote romantic verses influenced by Byron, Shelley and Keats. Nearly all his works are dramatic in spirit and in form. - Drama for the stage was packed with thought in a way that would have delighted the middle class society (“A Blot in the Scutcheon” ) - Browning deals with thoughts or motives rather than with action. He calls most of his works soul studies: dramas, or dramatic monologues, or dramatic lyrics (“My Last Duchess” and “The Bishop Orders his Tomb”) - In his dramatic lyric Browning takes some crisis and proceeds to show the hero’s character by the way he faces the situations, or talks about it. Browning works concerned humanity in general. Genres: poem, short poem, song, ballad Themes: love (“My Star” , “The Last Ride Together”) Death ("Love Among the Ruins", "Prospice") Truth ("My Last Duchess") Delusion ("The Laboratory") Beauty ("Meeting at Night") the nature of a quest ("Childe Roland to Dark Tower Came") the nature or limits of religion (“The Bishop Orders His Tomb at St. Praxed's Church”)

The Mid-Victorian period 1848-1870

The Brontë sisters Novels Charlotte Bronte (1816 -1855) “Jane Eyre”, “Shirley”, “Villette”,“Emma” Emily Bronte (1818-1848) “Wuthering Heights” Anne Bronte (1820-1849) “Agnes Grey”; “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall” Brontes’ literary works are a mixture of romanticism and realism. The works focuses on social issues particularly connected with women and children those are women's equality with men and issues of education. They expressed woman's point of view, which examines class, myth, and gender. Their novels are mainly considered to be the first sustained feminist novel.

The Brontë sisters Spirituality of the landscape and the strength of religious feeling are reflected in their novels Gothic Romanticism ( “Jane Eyre”) a romantic novel with the supernatural elements of the "horrors" of the mysterious adventure and mysticism (family curse and ghosts). The action of the novels are often set in the old Gothic castle. Themes: women in society(working women, women’s rights, education, love) Characters are endowed with strong emotions, courage, solid moral principles, the ability to make independent decisions.

Thomas Hardy (1840-1928) His poetry is spare, unadorned, and unromantic, and its pervasive theme is man's useless struggle against cosmic forces. Hardy's vision reflects a world in which Victorian complacencies were dying but its moralism was not, and in which science had eliminated the comforting certainties of religion. He used landscape of the imagery country. He showed an illusion of history, as well as the basic passing of events. Thomas Hardy criticized certain social constraints. Hardy's observation means that he does not get particularly into interior emotions. He does not show best falling in love or committing a crime, moral and spiritual problems but he shows these activities in local context. His method is to shift perspectives, tackle obliquely, use odd angles and give multiple views. It is from this that the psychology is drawn out, as an observer. The authorial voice is strong. Genres: minor tales and a collaborative novel, realistic stories The themes of the poems: Love Separation Nostalgia Loss War Self-doubt Life cycle Characters - seem to be in the overwhelming and overpowering grip of a hostile fate that defeats them - encounter crossroads, which are symbolic of a point of opportunity and transition.

The Late Victorian period 1870-1901

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) Kipling’s works are endowed with the keenest power of observation, with the most genuine and most democratic human sympathies, and with splendid dramatic force. Kipling used colloquialism and realism in his works He reflected the life of English army on the frontiers of the Empire (“The White Man's Burden”) He humanized animal life in his works (“The Jungle Book”) Many of his short stories and poems are dedicated to children who are sometimes the main characters He introduced horror in some of short stories.(“My Own True Ghost Story”)

“Danny Deever” “…What makes the rear-rank breathe so 'ard? " said Files-on-Parade. "It's bitter cold, it's bitter cold," the Colour-Sergeant said. "What makes that front-rank man fall down? " said Files-on-Parade. "A touch o' sun, a touch o' sun," the Colour-Sergeant said. They are hangin' Danny Deever, they are marchin' of 'im round, They 'ave 'alted Danny Deever by 'is coffin on the ground; An' e'll swing in 'arf a minute for a sneakin' shootin' hound they're hangin' Danny Deever in the mornin'!...”

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) Genres: short-story, novel, tales and poems. Themes: The British imperialism(India, racism) Religion Society (work, childhood, education) Nature History Death Characters: the English common soldier Children Humanized animals Ihnabitants of the colonized countries middle class people Stories: "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi", “Kim” Poems: “If-”, “When earth's last picture is painted”, “Dane-geld”, “the King’s Job”, “A Death-Bed”

Somerset Maugham (1874 –1965) Maugham's restrained prose allows him to explore the resulting tensions and passions without appearing melodramatic (the novel “The Magician”) The close relationship between fictional and non-fictional became Maugham's trademark, but still most of his works are based on his own life experience (an autobiographical novel “Of Human Bondage”). Maugham said that many of his short stories presented themselves to him in the stories he heard during his travels in the outposts of the Empire and during the World War1 (the play “Lady Frederick”, the novel “The Razor's Edge”). Genres: novel, short story, play, essay and travel book Characters: Real-life characters (“Cakes and Ale” characterized the authors Thomas Hardy and Hugh Walpole). Characters are the representatives of working-class adultery, they struggle to achieve their aim overwhelming internal conflicts and social, economical and political problems they face (the novel “Liza of Lambeth”) Women are often very attractive (the novels “Theatre”) British colonists in the Far East (stories “Rain”, a series of brief vignettes “On A Chinese Screen”, “Footprints In The Jungle”, the novel “The Moon and Sixpence”) gentlemanly, sophisticated, aloof spy (a separate collection of stories) Themes: man’s place in the world British imperialism (Subtheme: Eastern mysticism) woman escapism war-weariness and disillusionment

Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) An active interaction of genres as well as the predominance of dramatic action in relation to the lyric and epic Genres: poem, ballad, novel, tale, narrative, play Covers a lot of philosophical and aesthetic and moral problems. The object of art has always been a writer for the inner and outer life of man dialogs(help to dramatize the conflict) Characters: fatal personality dandy secondary characters are important because they help to dramatize the conflict and show the author’s point of view Themes: The problem of correlation of external and internal beauty The problem of self-sacrifice Main works: “The Picture of Dorian Gray”, “A Woman of No Importance”, “The Importance of Being Earnest”

George Bernard Shaw (1856 –1950) His writings address social problems, but have a vein of comedy which makes their stark themes more palatable. Bernard Shaw developed the drama of intellectual conflict and debate, his philosophy of moral passion, his ventures into symbolic farce and into a theatre of disbelief shaped the theatre of his time. Genres: play, essay, novel and short story, tract and pamphlets. Themes: man in the society (class privilege, poverty, women’s rights, education, marriage, government), religion, love Characters People from the middle class society(“Pygmalion”) Women who struggle to survive (“Saint John”, “Man and Superman”) Literary works: Plays: “The Apple Cart”, “John Bull’s Other Island”, “Major Barbara”. Pamphlets: ” The Impossibilities of Anarchism” “Fabian Election Manifesto” The encyclopaedic political tract “The Intelligent Woman’s Guide to Socialism and Capitalism”

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