The values of the Victorian Age Utilitarian philosophy Importance given to the apparence Faith in God Optimism Faith in progress Philantrophism

Dominant literary form during the Victorian Age Published in monthly installments Realism made of an equilibrium between pathos and the grotesque Description of everyday situations Humor and comicity General features of the Victorian Novel Indirect criticism of the contemporary society

The narrator Third person narrator Omnicient Ex: “mentioned in the last chapter”, “I know for instance”, “whom we have selected” (Vanity Fair, Chapter 2) Intrusive Ex: “if the reader should prefer it”(Mr Bounderby’s characterization), “let us strike” (Hard Times) The reader is not free to form his own opinion

The setting Contemporary setting; The story is settled in a contemporary world; Generally in a town or in a city (urbanisation) Ex: Hard Times, Coketown

The reading public Mainly composed by the (lower) middle- class Two kind of reactions: -The reader identifies himself with what he reads -The reader doesn’t identify and feels himself better than the characters (alibi)

Themes Effects and results of the Industrial Revolution > life in towns (Hard Times) Effects and results of Utilitarianism > relationship between the working-class and the middle-class (Hard Times) Clash between children and adults (Oliver Twist, Vanity Fair) The fight for democracy Exploitation of children and women Education (Oliver Twist, N. Nicklebay, Vanity Fair)

Characterization Stricking and memorable Given by the peculiar language used by the writer (narrative techniques)narrative techniques The character is reavealed through his: -Actions -Attitude -Inner thoughts -Feelings -Instinsts (“he could not but”) -Impulses -Direct speech -Body language (“nudged at him”)

Narrative techniques ExaggerationRepetition Metaphorical use of language Hyperbolic use of language ParodyCaricature The grotesqueComic effect Pathos Realism “Flying over the pavement”, “per diem”, “a council”, “solemn conclave”, “disposed of”, “and what not” Methapors and similies “Like the head of an elephant”, “painted face of a savage”, “scarecrows”, “like a baloon” “like one another”, “wild” “He rose from the table”; “tortures of slow starvation” “Brown composition”

Jude the Obscure Part Six Chapter 2 Themes: criticism of the institutions of marriage, the Church, the role of women, the class system and the values of the V. A. View of life: a world in which God appears to be absent; a life where is impossible to defy the social conventions Topics: references to extramarital relations; religion; poverty; misery; fatalism (destiny is fixed) Characters: Jude and Sue don’t behave following the Victorian standards, but following their insticts and their moral believes; little Jude has a melancholy and an awareness that are not suitable with a child but are a result of fate.