British Literature The Victorian Era 1837 - 1901

Optimism and the Belief in Progress Britain's power, wealth, and self confidence encouraged optimism and a belief in progress Ideal family life (symbolized by the royal family itself) was central to Victorian culture Moral values and a desire to do good Optimism and the Belief in Progress

Efforts to improve Victorian society Accurate illustrations of social problems Sufferings of poor children Emergence of Realism

Responds to increasing rates of democracy and literacy, the rapid growth in industrialism and urbanization, an expanding population base due to immigration, and a relative rise in middle- class affluence provided a fertile literary environment for readers interested in understanding these rapid shifts in culture Realism 1860-1890

Characteristics Realism: 1860-1890 "the faithful representation of reality" or "verisimilitude,"  the representation of middle-class or working class life Characteristics Realism: 1860-1890

Characteristics Character is more important than action and plot; Complex ethical choices are often the subject. Characters appear in their real complexity of temperament and motive; They are in explicable relation to nature, to each other, to their social class, to their own past. Class is important; the novel has traditionally served the interests and aspirations of an insurgent middle class. Events will usually be plausible. Realistic novels avoid the sensational, dramatic elements of naturalistic novels and romances. Diction is natural vernacular, not heightened or poetic; Tone may be comic, satiric, or matter-of-fact. Characteristics

Naturalism: 1880 and beyond An outgrowth of Realism Darwin’s theory of evolution Pessimistic view of life’s randomness Naturalism: 1880 and beyond

Naturalism describes a type of literature that attempts to apply scientific principles of objectivity and detachment to its study of human beings. Unlike realism, which focuses on literary technique, naturalism implies a philosophical position: characters can be studied through their relationships to their surroundings Characteristics

Literary Elements Frequently ill-educated or lower-class The forces of heredity and environment as they affect--and afflict--individual lives Attempts at exercising free will or choice are hamstrung by forces beyond their control; irony Social Darwinism and other theories help to explain their fates to the reader. Urban industrial setting “Chronicle of despair” – plot device Literary Elements