The Victorian Era Ushered in with the death of Sir Walter Scott Out with the death of Queen Victoria, England’s longest reigning monarch Often compared with Elizabethan Period because of the characteristics

Characteristics of the Victorian Era Age of peace, prosperity and progress Expansion of knowledge Scientific and technological progress Geographical dominion Expansion of free trade High cultural achievement Influence of Queen Victoria’s high moral standards reflected in Victorian literature

Victorian Poetry Reflected the contemporary issues of society, religion, science, politics Moral teachers as well as literary artists—had a message as well as a song Three great poets: Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning, Matthew Arnold Minor poets: Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Christina Rossetti and Lewis Carroll Other writers contributing to poetry: Robert Lewis Stevenson, Rudyard Kipling, Thomas Hardy and Oscar Wilde

Victorian Era – “Age of Prose” Magazines and newspapers widely circulated among middle and lower classes as well as upper classes Quality pieces written in simple direct language of everyday speech (like the Romantic period) High literacy rate Nonfiction prose writers: Thomas Babington Macaulay, Thomas Carlyle, Matthew Arnold Histories and essays were written which dealt with issues of religion, science, education, and social, literary and art criticism Familiar essay broadened in scope Formal essay was used to explain scientific theories to the general public

The Victorian Novel Most popular and successful, presenting Victorian life in action Many in monthly installments in magazines (large audience) Writers depicted middle class in realistic manner Charles Dickens – 1 st popular Victorian novelist, portrayed lower middle class living in the city

The Victorian Novel, cont. William Makepeace Thackery – upper middle class George Eliot – common people of country and villages Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre) and Emily Bronte (Wuthering Heights) followed Austen’s novel of manners Dickens – historical novel (A Tale of Two Cities) Adventure genre – Robert Lewis Stevenson (Treasure Island, Kidnapped and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) and Rudyard Kipling (Jungle Book)

Victorian Novel, cont. Significant novel form emerging: novel of purpose Works out through characters and incidents some central problem dealing with a special social, political, economic or moral issues and often strongly advocates a special solution Dickens, Oliver Twist, Nicholas Nickleby, Bleak House, Hard Times, Old Curiosity Shop George Eliot (Silas Marner) and Thomas Hardy (Tess of the d'Urbervilles) – psychological novels concerning motives of characters Terror, mystery and detective novel developed (Wilkie Collins, followed afterward by Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes series.

Literary Terms Dramatic monologue – a lyric poem which reveals a “soul in action” through the conversation of one character in a dramatic situation [Robert Browning] Idyll – brief picture, sketch or scene describing country or domestic life Poet laureate – an official court or state poet with primary duty of composing verses for court occasions and special days Middle Ages – appointed by universities Chaucer, Spenser, Ben Johnson John Dryden – first appointed by the king who received a modest income

Poetry Assignment  Power Point in-class presentation on author and piece assigned  At least one slide on the author  Piece typed out on a slide(s)  Exceptions: Robert Browning piece – type out piece highlights you wish to emphasize and/or explain  Slide(s) analyzing significance of piece and what it is about  to me or bring it on a flash drive  Will be posted online and you will be responsible for this information  Counts as a test grade  Due Tuesday, 4/28