Thackeray was born in calcutta, india and was also an important writer but one who expressed his age very differently from dickens and other writers. The victorian age in literature is as dense as it is brilliant. The victorian era the dates of the victorian era 18361901. This portable document file aims to provide a general manual of englis literature for students in colleges and universities and others beyond the high.
The victorian age is essentially the age of the novel or fiction. This was an era in which most writers on the aesthetic movement agree that its roots lie in the reaction to industrialization in mid19th century england lessire. The shaping of influence in 19thcentury literature oxford university press, 2002 duncan, ian, modern romance and transformations of the novel. Victorian literature is literature, mainly written in english, during the reign of queen victoria 18371901 the victorian era. The literature of this era expressed the fusion of pure romance to gross realism. 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. Victorian literature an overview victorian literature is the literature produced during the reign of queen victoria 18371901 and corresponds to the victorian era. 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 an important time for the development of science and the victorians had a. Abraham, we find that the period between 1850 1900 is regarded as the victorian period, which is also known as the age of compromise and the age of peace and prosperity. Our study of victorian literature includes 1 the life and works of the two greater poets of the age, tennyson and browning. 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. Introduction to victorian and twentiethcentury literature xxxiii impressions of the spectacle. Franz xavier winterhalter, family of queen victoria, 1846.
With its first edition, the longman anthology of british literature created a new paradigm for anthologies. Because the victorian period of english literature spans over six decades, the year 1870 is often used to divide the era into early victorian and late victorian. Its grandeur does not consist in one thing, but in the unique assemblage of all things. 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. The principal english writers include addison, steele, swift, and alexander pope. English language until this time, no real conception of. In the first half of the 19c the english became a nation of avid novelreaders.
It is a wonderful place vast, strange, new and impossible to describe. English literature 19th century history and criticism category. Characteristics of victorian literature the style of the victorian novel. Responding to major shifts in literary studies over the past thirty years, it was the.
English literature english literature early victorian verse. The biggest social change in english history is the transfer, between 1750 and 1850. Assess the ways in which these conflicts influenced victorian literature. Victorian literature an overview ap english literature. This period is marked by the imitation of virgil and horaces literature in english letters.
It was preceded by romanticism and followed by the edwardian era 19011910 while in the preceding romantic period, poetry had been the conquerors, novels were the emperors of the victorian period. During this time, england was undergoing a cultural upheaval. English literature english literature late victorian literature. Characteristics of early victorian literature pen and. After the second of several visits to the exhibition, she reported to her father. The victorian agethe era when the sun never set on the british empire. Read this article to know about the characteristic features of victorian age, characteristics of the victorian era society, victorian age characteristics. Longman anthology of british literature, volume 2b, the. The victorian period of english literature began with the accession of queen victoria to the throne in 1837, and lasted until her death in 1901. He is most noted for his satirical work vanity fair.
Queen victoria, at the age of 18 ruled england continuously for 64 years until her death. The victorian age in literature paperback february 17, 2009 by g. But you definitely need a good understanding of victorian writers before even attempting this, otherwise most of the names and books chesterton references wont mean a darn thing to you just as they didnt its not uncommon for public intellectuals to give the impression they. English literature late victorian literature britannica. Alfred tennyson made his mark very early with poems, chiefly lyrical 1830 and poems 1832. Victorian novel characteristics in english english summary. In 1859 charles darwin had published on the origin of species by means of natural selection. The mosttrusted literature anthology of all time, now in its 50th year. Despite the growing prestige and proliferation of fiction, this age of the novel was in fact also an age of great poetry. An introduction blackwell publishing, 2008, 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. History of english literature pdf included periods of. English literature early victorian verse britannica.
Read this article to know about the victorian novel characteristics, essay on victorian novel, themes of victorian novels, victorian age novel. 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. Historical background of victorian age english literature. The longman anthology of british literature is the most comprehensive and thoughtfully arranged text in the field, offering a rich selection of compelling british authors through the ages. Historians, philosophers, and scientists were all beginning to apply the idea of evolution to new areas of study of the human experience. Victorian age 18371901 the victorian era was one of the most important eras in the history of english literature. Pdf a brief introduction into the branches of victorian 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 victorian period began roughly around the time of the beginning of queen victorias reign in 1837 and ended around her death in 1901. Britain had emerged from the long war with france 17931815 as a great power and as the world.
Detailed literary periods of british literature english literature. The victorian era was a time of contrastspoverty as well as prosperity, degrading manual. Victorian era literature characteristics english summary. This is not an example of the work produced by our essay writing service. The ninth edition offers more complete works and more teachable groupings than ever before, the apparatus you trust, and a new, free supplemental ebook with more than 1,000 additional texts. When victoria came on the throne of england in 1837, english literature seemed to have entered into a period of lean years. The british aristocracy suspected any social reform, because of the. Victorian literature is the literature produced during the reign of queen victoria 18371901 a. The name given to the period is borrowed from the royal matriarch of england, queen victoria, who sat on throne from 1837 to 1901. The word victorian suggests a few features of the literature including poetry of the nineteenth century.
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