What Is Victorian Period In English Literature?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

Victorian literature refers to English literature during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) . The 19th century is widely considered to be the Golden Age of English Literature, especially for British novels. It was in the Victorian era that the novel became the leading literary genre in English.

What is the Victorian period known for?

The period of Queen Victoria’s reign, from 1837 until her death in 1901 was marked by sweeping progress and ingenuity. It was the time of the world’s first Industrial Revolution , political reform and social change, Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin, a railway boom and the first telephone and telegraph.

What are characteristics of Victorian literature?

  • Serialization. It can be daunting to pick up a Victorian novel. ...
  • Industrialization. Okay, so “industrialization” might sound more like economic development than literary history. ...
  • Class. ...
  • Science vs. ...
  • Progress. ...
  • Nostalgia. ...
  • The Woman Question. ...
  • Utilitarianism.

What are the themes of Victorian period?

During this time, there were many political, societal, and cultural changes such as industrialization, reform, Darwinism , the argument over “high” and “popular” culture, and how literature was used as its own oppositional space in which concerns about loss of faith, modernity, and change in general were discussed.

Who are five important writers from the Victorian period?

  • Jane Austen. Novelist.
  • Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Poet.
  • William Blake. Poet, Artist, Printer.
  • Charlotte Brontë Novelist.
  • Emily Brontë ...
  • Robert Burns. ...
  • Lord Byron. ...
  • Lewis Carroll.

What are five characteristics of the Victorian era?

  • Serialization. It can be daunting to pick up a Victorian novel.
  • Industrialization. Okay, so “industrialization” might sound more like economic development than literary history.
  • Class. ...
  • Science vs. ...
  • Progress.
  • Nostalgia.
  • The Woman Question.
  • Utilitarianism.

Did Victorians celebrate birthdays?

Birthdays really took off in the Victorian era, which was from about the 1830’s to the start of the 20th Century. During this time, wealthy families threw extravagant birthdays for their children, complete with a ball, cake, and lots of gifts.

What is the difference between romantic and Victorian literature?

The romantic period was an artistic and literary movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18 th century. ... The main difference between Romantic and Victorian poetry is that Romantic poets revered and adored nature whereas Victorian poets regarded nature as in a more realistic and less idealistic angel .

How many kinds of Victorian novels do you know?

The Victorian novel can be divided in three groups : 1) Early Victorian novel (Charles dickens) dealt with social themes; 2) Mid-Victorian novel (Bronte sisters) dealt with psychological themes; 3)Late-Victorian novel (Wilde) was nearer to European Naturalism.

What are the characteristics of Victorian hero?

The Hero. A valorous cavalier, a noble social activist, a virtuous clergyman, a worthy gentleman . These are the archetypal heroes of Western Culture. Curiously enough, these characters seldom if ever take their accustomed, comfortable place in the body of Victorian Literature.

What is a Victorian style of writing?

While the novel was the dominant form of literature during the Victorian era, poets continued to experiment with style and methods of story-telling in their poems. Examples of this experimentation include long narrative poems (epic poems) and the dramatic monologue as seen primarily in the writing of Robert Browning.

What is the modern period of literature?

Modernism is a period in literary history which started around the early 1900s and continued until the early 1940s . Modernist writers in general rebelled against clear-cut storytelling and formulaic verse from the 19th century.

Who was the most famous Victorian writer?

Charles Dickens is the most famous Victorian novelist. With a focus on strong characterization, Dickens became extraordinarily popular in his day and remains one of the most popular and read authors of the world.

Is Dickens a Romantic writer?

Cook reads Dickens as a central legatee of the Romantic period , arguing that Dickens borrows features from the writings of his Romantic forerunners and makes them peculiarly Dickensian. Scholarship to date, he says, has overlooked, if not challenged the viewpoint that Dickens was influenced by Romanticism.

Who was the most famous writer during the Romantic period?

In America, the most famous Romantic poet was Edgar Allan Poe ; while in France, Victor Marie Hugo was the leading figure of the movement.

What was life like during the Victorian era?

Rich people could afford lots of treats like holidays , fancy clothes, and even telephones when they were invented. Poor people – even children – had to work hard in factories, mines or workhouses. They didn’t get paid very much money. By the end of the Victorian era, all children could go to school for free.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.