THE VICTORIAN NOVEL Raffaele Contin Giulia Paparot VA a.s. 2010/2011

THE VICTORIAN AGE  Queen Victoria ( )period of peace  The Industrial Revolution  Urbanizationgrowth of towns  A new class: tthe working class social disease  Strong religious values of society  PuritanismParable of the Talents social redemption  Darwinism Evolution  Utilitarianism Everything should be useful  Literacy  Struggle for democracy  Utilitarianism  Colonialism

THE VICTORIAN NOVEL Main features: Mixing of reality and romance Relationship between classes Problems of people rendered in a fictional way New reading publicmiddle class and lower middle class Need of social redemption Literature became a social product 3 rd person omniscient narrator (often intrusive) Cinematic and dramatic effect (rendered by the detailed description of the scene) Use of pathos and grotesque (which make the reader partially identificate with the subject) Use of irony Episodes published periodically on a journal Happy ending

CHARLES DICKENS’NOVELS Oliver TwistNicholas NicklebyHard Times

Title: Oliver Twist ( ) Plot summary Storyline of the extract (taken from the 2° chapter): Oliver and his companions are very hungry. Oliver has been chosen to ask the master for “more supper” at dinner. The master, Mr Bumble, and one of the boards, Mr Limbkins, react exaggeratedly, with horror. Characterization: –Oliver Twist: Physical and Psychological conditions –Mr Bumble: Physical description/ behaviour –Mr Limbkins: reactions/ way to speak Setting: dining hall of the workhouse Narrative techniques: narration, description, dialogue, pathos, grotesque, hyperbole Theme: children’s work conditions and the difficult relationship between the master and them

 Title: Nicholas Nickleby ( )  Plot summary Plot summary  Storyline of the extract (take from one of the early chapters): Nicholas is in a school of boys in Yorkshire. It’s his first day of work in that school. Mr Sqeers, a teacher, shows him the teaching method of the school.  Characterization:  Mr Sqeers: actions / behaviour/ culture level  Nicholas: way to speak / behaviour  Setting: a school of boys in Yorkshire  Narrative techniques: description, dialogue, narration, irony and comics details, pathos, grotesque  Theme: living conditions and teaching methods for the poorer section of society

 Title: Hard Times (1854)  Plot summary Plot summary  Storyline of the extract (Mr Bounderby): The narrator describes Mr Bounderby in detail. After that he describes a scene were he and Mr Gradgrind are speaking about Bounderby old life. Subsequently his words regarding his social status and his imminent separation with Gradgrind’s son, Lisa are reported.  Characterization:  Mr Bounderby: physical aspect / social status / behaviour / way of speaking/ old life  Mr Gradging: physical aspect / way of speaking  Setting: the formal drawing-room of Stone Lodge  Narrative techniques: a detailed description, narration, dialogue, repetition of syntactical constructions in the second paragraph, the grotesque, hyperboles

THE ANTI VICTORIAN NOVEL The reaction to the Victorian novel Criticism towards a double-faced society. No salvation ot the end of the novel THOMAS HARDY, Jude the Obscure

 Title: Jude the Obscure (1895)  Plot summaryPlot summary  Storyline of the extract (second chapter, part 6)  The scene shows the moment when Sue and Jude find their dead children. First hypothesis about the reason of the children’s death.  Characterization:  Jude: actions / reaction to the event (feelings)  Sue: actions / reaction to the event (feelings)  Setting: interior scene: within a very shabby house  Narrative techniques: description, narration, the grotesque, pathos, dialogue  Themes: Criticism of Victorian morality.