Post on 16-Mar-2022
The Victorian Age 1837- 1907
A brief summary of a lecture delivered to B.A(H)ENG. Part 1
By
Dr. Usha Rai
Characteristics of the Age
1. Overlapping of the Romantic Age 2. Industrial revolution – its impact on society & writers 3. Rise of materialism 4. Steep rise in population and a gradual movement from the rural to
urban areas 5. Darwin’s theory of evolution – his theory created a rift between
religion and science 6. Industrial revolution and urbanization created a new working class-
the proletariats 7. Position of women- there was a certain rigidity and repression of sex
Major Poets of Victorian Age
Alfred Tennyson
Major Works
• In Memoriam
• Ulysses
• Idylls of the King
Chief Characteristics
1. His poetry was marked with an astonishing power of visual presentation.
2. Frequent use of blank verse and dramatic monologue, uniform mastery of his art
Robert Browning
Major Works
• Aristophanes' Apology
• My Last Duchess
• The Piped Piper of Hamlin
Chief Characteristics 1. His early works were influenced by Shelly but later on he developed
his own style. 2. A society man sometimes ironical and presented dark humour.
Elizabeth Barrette Browning
Major Works
• Sonnets from Portuguese
• How do I Love Thee
• A Musical Instrument
Chief Characteristics 1. Had an ear for rhyme 2. Her poetic style was extra ordinary, she could think and feel as a poet.
Mathew Arnold
Major Works
• The Scholar Gypsy
• Sohrab & Rustum
• Balder Dead
• Dover Beach
Chief Characteristics 1. Simple & lucid 2. Uses far-fetched words 3. A spiritual distress is noted in his poetry
Edward Fitzgerald
Major Works
• Omar Khayam Rubaiyat
Chief Characteristics 1. Was known for his translation work 2. Translated Omar Khayam Rubaiyat from Persian to English
Gerald Manly Hopkins, Swinburne & Rossetti also had their contribution towards Victorian Poetry
Victorian Novelists
Major Novelists of the Victorian Age
Charles Dickens
Major Works
• Oliver Twist
• David Copperfield
• Hard Times
• Pickwick Papers
• A Tale of Two Cities
Chief Characteristics
1. Was known as the King among the novelists, was a socialist at heart 2. autobiographical in style 3. Went into deep details 4. Created too many characters 5. Related to the middle class 6. Language was simple but clarity was maintained 7. There were shades of humour and satire in his writings
William Thackeray
Major Works
• Vanity Fair
Chief Characteristics
1. Wrote for magazines on varied topics 2. Vanity Fair was first published in serial 3. Great narrative & satirical skill 4. Travelled extensively
The Bronte Sisters
Charlotte Bronte
Major Works
• Jane Eyre
• Shirley
• The Professor
• Emma
Chief Characteristics
1. Wrote under the pseudo name of Curren Bell 2. Natural flow in writing 3. Used first person narrative to sound convincing 4. Pioneered the concept of ‘domestic novel’. She could never get
beyond personal experiences
Emily Bronte
Major Works
• Wuthering Heights
Chief Characteristics
1. Wrote with the pseudo name – Ellis Bell 2. Highly imaginative 3. Her only work now is considered to be a classic 4. Used powerful language & imagery
Anne Bronte
Major Works
• The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
• Agnes Grey
Chief Characteristics
1. Wrote under pseudo name of Acton Bell 2. Went against the sensibilities of her times and presented some
shocking truths like alcoholism and debauchery 3. Depicted the social status of women
Mrs Gaskell
Major Works
• Biography of Charlotte Bronte
• Mary Barton
Chief characteristics
1. She gave a detailed portrait of the Victorian Society & position of women
2. Often used new uncommon words mostly adopted from the local dialect
George Eliot
Major Works
• The Mill on the Floss
• Silas Marner
• Middle March
Chief Characteristics
1. Her novels were based on lower middle class 2. She was a realist 3. She had an eye for defining characters 4. There was simplicity in her style 5. It was only after her death that she became popular and was widely
read
R.L Stevenson
Major Works
• Dr. Jekyll & Mr Hyde
• Kidnapped
Chief Characteristics
1. A very talented writer who was extremely passionate about his writing
Thomas Hardy
Major Works
• The Return of the Native
• Tess of the D’Urbervilles
• Far From the Madding Crowd
• The Mayor of Casterbridge
Chief characteristics
1. Was primarily a poet 2. Novels were based on Wessex Countryside 3. Fate, irony & chance played an integral part in his novel 4. Went into fine details while sketching a character, an incident or
landscape 5. Nature was an important element in most of his novels 6. Victorian values were deeply reflected in his novels 7. Was aware of the rural to urban shift in the society & its
repercussions
Victorian Critics & Historians
Thomas Carlyle
Major Works
• The French Revolution: A History
• Heroes and Hero Worship
• The Letters and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell
Chief Characteristics
1. Was an essayist and historian 2. Had a good insight in the subject matter
Matthew Arnold
Major Works
• Essays in Criticism
• Culture & Anarchy
Chief Characteristics
1. Besides being a poet, he was a literary critic 2. As a critic he was detached in his approach
Sources:
1. A Short History of English Literature by George Saintsbury
2. A Critical History of English Literature by David Daiches