Segment SevenSegment Seven

Victorian LiteratureVictorian Literature

So Far…So Far…

Queen Victoria (1837-1901)Queen Victoria (1837-1901)

Victorian OverviewVictorian Overview Refers to literature produced during Refers to literature produced during

the reign of Queen Victoria of the reign of Queen Victoria of England (1837-1901)England (1837-1901)

Bridge between the writings of Bridge between the writings of yesterday and todayyesterday and today

Novels begin to overtake poetry as Novels begin to overtake poetry as the most popular form of literaturethe most popular form of literature

Sometimes referred to as a second Sometimes referred to as a second English RenaissanceEnglish Renaissance

Romantics vs. VictoriansRomantics vs. Victorians

RomanticsRomantics ImaginationImagination Harmony in NatureHarmony in Nature IndividualismIndividualism TranscendentalismTranscendentalism

VictoriansVictorians Harsh RealityHarsh Reality Cruelty in NatureCruelty in Nature Serve SocietyServe Society UtilitarianismUtilitarianism

Characteristics of Victorian Characteristics of Victorian LiteratureLiterature

Utilitarianism Utilitarianism – Do whatever produces – Do whatever produces “the most good for the most people” “the most good for the most people”

Good is measured in terms of pleasure vs. Good is measured in terms of pleasure vs. painpain

SocietySociety – Finding a place in society – Finding a place in society becomes an important theme in many becomes an important theme in many Victorian Works.Victorian Works.

Good—your contribution helps the human Good—your contribution helps the human race as a wholerace as a whole

Bad—feel like a cog in the machineBad—feel like a cog in the machine

Characteristics of Victorian Characteristics of Victorian LiteratureLiterature

Struggle/Strife Struggle/Strife – Hard work is – Hard work is valued and, ideally, rewarded. Work valued and, ideally, rewarded. Work is a reflection of inner character.is a reflection of inner character.

Alienation/EstrangementAlienation/Estrangement – – Industrial Revolution and Theory of Industrial Revolution and Theory of Evolution leave many feeling Evolution leave many feeling spiritually melancholy, lonely, spiritually melancholy, lonely, separated from life and happinessseparated from life and happiness

Characteristics of Victorian Characteristics of Victorian LiteratureLiterature

RealismRealism – writers should concentrate on – writers should concentrate on describing physical, material details of lifedescribing physical, material details of life

Emphasized descriptions of setting, Emphasized descriptions of setting, clothing, and characters that would have clothing, and characters that would have seemed inappropriate to earlier writersseemed inappropriate to earlier writers

Prefers ordinary over extraordinary: Prefers ordinary over extraordinary: realistic heroes are more “everyday” (a realistic heroes are more “everyday” (a middle class clerk) than special (such as a middle class clerk) than special (such as a king with supernatural strength)king with supernatural strength)

Victorian AuthorsVictorian Authors Brontë Sisters Brontë Sisters (Emily—(Emily—Wuthering HeightsWuthering Heights, , Anne—Anne—Agnes GreyAgnes Grey, , Charlotte—Charlotte—

Jane EyreJane Eyre))

Joseph Conrad—Joseph Conrad—Heart of DarknessHeart of Darkness Robert Louis Stevenson—Robert Louis Stevenson—Treasure IslandTreasure Island Bram Stoker—Bram Stoker—DraculaDracula Robert Browning—Poems and Dramatic Robert Browning—Poems and Dramatic

MonologuesMonologues Oscar Wilde—Oscar Wilde—The Picture of Dorian GrayThe Picture of Dorian Gray Lewis Carroll—Lewis Carroll—Alice in WonderlandAlice in Wonderland

Charles DickensCharles Dickens One of the most popular Victorian authorsOne of the most popular Victorian authors Strong Proponent of Social Reforms, Strong Proponent of Social Reforms,

particularly those protecting the poorparticularly those protecting the poor Many of his novels contain several Many of his novels contain several

“cliffhangers” because they were originally “cliffhangers” because they were originally serializedserialized

A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol, , Great ExpectationsGreat Expectations, , A A Tale of Two CitiesTale of Two Cities, , David CopperfieldDavid Copperfield, , Bleak HouseBleak House, , Little DorritLittle Dorrit

Charles Dickens LifeCharles Dickens Life 1812-18701812-1870 Worked in harsh Worked in harsh

conditions in a shoe conditions in a shoe polish factory as a polish factory as a childchild

Became a journalist Became a journalist and, once he achieved and, once he achieved financial success, a financial success, a philanthropistphilanthropist

Remembered for his Remembered for his vivid characters and vivid characters and social criticismsocial criticism

Oliver TwistOliver Twist Background Background New Poor LawNew Poor Law—passed in 1834, —passed in 1834,

established system of financial relief established system of financial relief for the poor in exchange for service for the poor in exchange for service in in work houseswork houses

Conditions in work houses were often Conditions in work houses were often abysmalabysmal

““Great London Waif Crisis” Great London Waif Crisis”