196- ] English Literature

195- ] English Literature

THE VICTORIAN AGE 

Historical Perspective of the Victorian Period

Introduction: The Victorian Era is an age of British history spanning the 64-year reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). It is one of the longest reigns in the history of England. In the year 1837, Queen Victoria succeeded William the IV on the throne of Great Britain and Ireland. The period is marked by many mportant social and historical changes that altered the nation in many ways. The opulation got nearly doubled and the British Empireexpanded. The period saw the British Empire grow to become the first global industrial power, producing much of the world's coal, iron, steel and textiles. By this time the role of the monarch was to reign, rather than rule.Historical Perspective of the Victorian Period: The period is known for economic progress, poverty and exploitation. The gap between the rich and the poor grew wide and with drive for material and commercial success there appeared a kind of a moral decay in the society. The Victorian era saw a wild growth of industries and factories. One very important factor of the age was its stress on morality. A feminine code of conduct was imposed on them which described every aspect of their being from the proper apparels to how to converse, everything had rules. The role of the women was mostly that of being angels of the house and restricted to domestic confines. They were financially dependent on their husbands and fathers and it led to a commercialization of the institution of marriage.

Growth of Victorian Age: After the romantic revival , the literature of the Victorian age entered in a new period. The Literature of this period express the fusion of romanticism to realism. The Victorian age is rich in literature. It produced two great poets like Tennyson and Browning; dramatists like Shaw and Galsworthy; novelists like Charles Dickens and Hardy; and essayist like Carlyle and Stevenson. The age is remarkable for the excellence of its literature.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VICTORIANISM

Characteristics of the Victorianism: - The discoveries of science have particular effects upon the literature of the Victorian Age. It is simple to mark the following four general characteristics:

1. Realism: Literature of this age comes closer to daily life which reflects its practical problems and interests. It becomes a powerful instrument for human progress.

2. Moral Purpose: The Victorian literature seems to assert its moral purpose. Tennyson, Browning, Carlyle, Ruskin-all were the teachers of England with the faith in their moral message to instruct the world.

3. Doubts or Contradictory faiths and philosophies: It is often considered as an age of doubt and contradictory faiths and philosophies. The influence of science is felt here. Browning the optimist and Hardy the pessimist are regarded as most popular writers of the age. There is realistic literature with Pre-Raphaelite poetry that believes in “art for art’s sake”.

4. Idealism: Though, the age is characterized as practical and materialistic, most of the writers suggest a purely ideal life. It is an idealistic age where the great ideals like truth, justice, love, brotherhood are emphasized by poets, essayists and novelists of the age.

Overview of Victorian Period

The age hence was important for the rise of the novel as a genre and form which itself saw transformation within the period. From romanticism to realism, politics to passion, optimism to pessimism, the novel could successfully deal with the changing mood of the society. Class, gender, individualism , society all were given space in the novel. The period was known to have witnessed the massive change of Britain from an agrarian to industrial landscape. All concerns informed the novel and the novel was made into perhaps the most important genre of the age and the ones that would follow.

Chief Characteristics of Victorian Period

While the country saw economic progress, poverty and exploitation were also equally a part of it. The gap between the rich and the poor increased significantly and the drive for material and commercial success was seen to propagate a kind of a moral decay in the society itself. The changing landscape of the country was another concern. While the earlier phase of Romanticism saw a celebration of the country side and the rich landscape of the flora and fauna, the Victorian era saw a changing of the landscape to one of burgeoning industries and factories. While the poor were exploited for their labor, the period witnessed the rise of the bourgeoisie or the middle class due to increasing trade between Britain and its colonies and the Reform Bill of 1832 strengthen their hold. There was also a shift from the Romantic ideals of the previous age towards a more realistic acceptance and depiction of society.

One of the most important factors that defined the age was its stress on morality. Strict societal codes were enforced and certain activities were openly looked down upon. These codes were even harsher for women. A feminine code of conduct was levied on them which described every aspect of their being from the proper apparels to how to converse, everything had rules. The role of women was mostly that of being angels of the house and restricted to domestic confines. Professionally very few options were available to them as a woman could either become a governess or a teacher in rich households. Hence they were financially dependent on their husbands and fathers and it led to a commercialization of the institution of marriage.