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