TOPIC 50.
THE VICTORIAN NOVEL
1. INTRODUCTION
2. THE VICTORIAN NOVEL
3. EARLY VICTORIAN NOVELISTS
3.1. Charles Dickens
3.2. The Brontë Sisters
3.3. William Makepeace Thakeray
4. LATE VICTORIAN NOVELISTS
4.1. Thomas Hardy
4.2. Mary Ann Evans
5. RELEVANCE OF THIS TOPIC IN THE EFL CLASSROOM IN SPAIN
6. CONCLUSION
7. BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. INTRODUCTION
The Victorian Era spanned from 1837 with the coronation of Queen Victoria to
her death in 1901. This period of time was marked by many social, political and
economic changes brought forth by the Industrial Revolution that started in Britain in
the 1760s, as well as the status of Great Britain as the globe’s superpower known as
Britain’s Imperial Century (1815-1914).
Throughout this topic, we will examine how the novel rose as the preferred
literary form by Victorian authors to reflect the many realities of their time. We will
divide Victorian novels into early Victorian novelists such as Charles Dickens, the
Brönte sisters and William Makepeace Thackeray and late Victorian novelists such
as Thomas Hardy and Mary Ann Evans (who published her novels under the name
of Gorge Elliot). We cannot forget other relevant Victorian novelists that stand as
pillars of English literature such as Rudyard Kipling or Joseph Conrad although we
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will not examine their works in this topic since they are covered in the topic 49, the
works of these two authors reflect on the themes of colonialism and imperialism.
Finally, we will look into the relevance of this topic according to the Organic Law
3/2020, 29th December (LOMLOE) that highlights the importance of cultural
awareness in the classroom.
2. THE VICTORIAN NOVEL
The Victorian novel was preceded by Romanticism (mid-late 18th century to
mid-19th century). Romanticism highlighted the supreme, the power of nature, the
individual and the vision of the writer as a supreme creator and was dominated by
poetry in Great Britain by the hand of poets such as Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe
Shelley and John Keats.
Victorian authors faced different needs from those of Romantic authors and
needed a new literary form to depict the harsh realities faced by the less fortunate
and denounce the social injustices of their time and the novel rose as the best
device to accomplish their task. Nevertheless, we must not forget two Romantic
female novelists that prepared the field for the Victorian novel: Mary Shelley and
Jane Austen.
The Victorian novel is characterised by several distinctive features:
a) true portrayal of the society of their time and rich detailed descriptions,
b) criticism of the injustices suffered by the less fortunate,
c) psychological death of characters,
d) social critique to promote virtuous behaviour,
e) exploration of class and social mobility and,
f) gender and family roles.
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Moreover, many Victorian novels were first published in serialised form in
magazines, which meant that the story was released in installments over a period of
time. This format was introduced by Charles Dickens in his novel The Pickwick
Papers.
3. EARLY VICTORIAN NOVELISTS
Early Victorian novelists were those who wrote during the first half of Queen
Victoria's reign. This period saw the novel evolve significantly, influenced by social,
economic, and technological changes due to the Industrial Revolution. Early
Victorian writers helped shape the narrative style, themes, and concerns that would
characterize the larger Victorian literary tradition.
3.1. CHARLES DICKENS
Charles Dickens was born in Portsmouth, England, in 1812. Dickens is
considered one of the most prominent and influential writers of the Victorian era in
England.
Dickens was the second of eight children. At the age of twelve, his father was
imprisoned for debt and Dickens had to drop school to work in a boot-blacking
factory in order to support his family. These early experiences with poverty and
social injustice deeply influenced his later works. However, when his father was
released from prison, Dickens went back to school and finished his education.
Dickens began his literary career as a writer and editor, and his first major
success came with the publication of his first novel "The Pickwick Papers" which
popularised serialised publications of novels. The novel follows the adventures of the
Pickwick Club, a fictional social club that travels across England to observe its
people and its places. Dickens uses his first novel to critique aspects of English
society, particularly the legal system and class structure.
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His second novel, Oliver Twist, follows the titular orphan, who, after being
raised in a workhouse, escapes to London, where he meets a gang of juvenile
pickpockets led by the elderly criminal Fagin, eventually discovers the secrets of his
parentage, and reconnects with his remaining family. Oliver’s experience in a
workhouse, where he is treated cruelly, serves Dickens as a powerful critique of the
harsh conditions for the poor and the exploitation of children. Dickens’s own early
experiences with child labor—having worked in a factory at a young age—shaped
his views and influenced his portrayal of the exploitation of children in Oliver Twist.
Dickens’ Bleak House shows a detailed critique of the legal system, especially
the Court of Chancery. Dickens condemns the inefficiency, corruption, and lack of
compassion within the English legal system, which often exacerbated the problems
of the poor. The novel also introduces strong female characters, suggesting
Dickens’s recognition of the importance of women’s roles in maintaining social
cohesion, while also emphasizing the limited roles available to them in Victorian
society.
A Christmas Carol addresses social inequality and the importance of
compassion and generosity. The transformation of the protagonist from a miser to a
charitable man highlights the possibility for social change and personal redemption.
Dickens uses the novel to criticize the rich for their neglect of the poor and calls for a
more caring, socially responsible society.
3.2. THE BRONTË SISTERS
The Brontë sisters—Charlotte, Emily and Anne—had to publish their novels
under masculine pseudonyms due to the conventions of their time. Each sister wrote
distinctive novels that explored themes of passion, morality, gender, and social
constraints. The Brontë sisters’ works were revolutionary for their time, breaking
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conventions around the portrayal of women, relationships, and the social
expectations of the Victorian period.
- Charlotte Brontë’s most memorable novel Jane Eyre is a first-person
narration of Jane’s own moral and spiritual evolution from the beginning to the
end of the story. The novel tells the story of an orphaned girl who is physically
and morally abused by her aunt and cousins. She finally becomes a
governess and falls in love with her enigmatic and tormented employer, Mr.
Rochester. The novel is considered to be ahead of its time due to its
underlying feminism with a strong, independent female protagonist.
- Emily Brontë’s most representative novel is Wuthering Heights. The novel
centers on the turbulent, destructive love between Heathcliff and Catherine
Earnshaw. It is known for its Gothic atmosphere, its complex narrative
structure, and the wild, untamed nature of its characters. The novel explores
themes of obsession, revenge, and the destructive effects of love and social
exclusion.
- Anne Brontë’s most successful novel The Tenant of Wildfell Heart tells the
story of Helen Graham who takes residence at Wildfell Heart, escaping from
an abusive husband and her past. The protagonist depicts her arduous
attempt to start from cero along with her child. It deals with the themes of
domestic violence and the injustices women endured during Victorian times.
3.3. WILLIAM MAKEPEACE THACKERAY
Thackeray was born in British India and moved to Great Britain after the
passing of his father. Thackeray's writing was characterized by keen observations of
society, its hypocrisies, and its complexities. His works often explored themes of
social class, morality, and human nature.
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His most famous novel Vanity Fair is a satirisation of British society and it is
portrayed as opportunist and hypocritical. The novel tells the story of a young
ambitious English lady named Becky who struggles to reach to the top of British
society and ultimately suffers a swift downfall. It was subtitled as A Novel Without a
Hero since all the characters are flawed somehow, unlike Dickensian characters,
Thackeray’s characters lack the ability to reform. Another work of Thackeray is The
Newcomes: a story about a military family and their experiences with social ambition
and downfall.
4. LATE VICTORIAN NOVELISTS
The Late Victorian period (roughly the 1870s to the turn of the 20th century)
saw significant shifts in literature, with writers exploring new themes, styles, and
forms in response to the rapidly changing social, cultural, and scientific landscape of
the time. The late Victorian years witnessed the rise of theatre by the hands of
Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw.
4.1. THOMAS HARDY
Hardy denounced the declining status of rural classes in England. Most of his
novels take place in the semi-fictional county of Wessex—a small Anglo-Saxon
Kingdom prior to the Kingdom of England—.
His most famous novel, Far From the Madding Crowd tells the story of
Bathsheba Everdene, a beautiful and independent young woman who is admired by
many men. The story revolves around her relationships with three very different
suitors: a sergeant soldier, a patient shepherd and her lonely neighbour. These three
men make Bathsheba the object of scandal in the county. Another of Hardy's famous
novels is Tess of the d'Urbervilles, a critique of Victorian attitudes toward morality
and class.
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4.2. MARY ANN EVANS
Mary Ann Evans published her novels using the masculine pseudonym George
Eliot. Her masterpiece Middlemarch takes place in the fictional town that bears the
name of the novel in the early 1830s. In her novel, M. A. Evans waves together the
lives of different characters from different walks of life and social classes, offering a
panoramic view of life in provincial England. Evans used real episodes to give a
sense of reality to her novels such as the coronation of King William IV or the
expansion of railways. Her novel Adam Bede was also a great success, it is set in
rural England and focuses on Adam Bede, a skilled carpenter, and his troubled
relationships with women.
5. RELEVANCE OF THIS TOPIC IN THE EFL CLASSROOM
The sixth Key Competence established by the Organic Law 3/2020, 29th
December (LOMLOE) gathers the relevance of cultural awareness in the Spanish
education system. Thus, we understand the Victorian novel as a useful resource to
motivate our students to gain a deep insight into this period of British history and
literature. The novels of Charles Dickens, the Brontë sisters, William Makepeace
Thackeray, Thomas Hardy and Mary Ann Evans are timeless classics of English
literature and can engage students in learning English through reading.
Moreover, the LOMLOE also makes reference to the relevance of using
audiovisual material in education. Most of the novels of these novelists have been
turned into films, audiobooks or podcasts, therefore these can be used to introduce
them in the EFL classroom.
6. CONCLUSION
The Victorian novel represents a pinnacle of literary achievement, marked by its
exploration of social issues, psychological complexity, and the development of
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realistic characters. Spanning the 19th century, these novels reflect the changing
dynamics of English society during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837–1901),
addressing themes such as class, morality, gender, industrialization, and the shifting
role of individuals within society.
The works of the authors that have been mentioned are significant for their
exploration of societal issues, individual morality, and psychological complexity.
These novels provided a lens through which readers could understand the dramatic
shifts occurring in society, from industrialization to the changing roles of women and
the ongoing debates about class and morality.
7. BIBLIOGRAPHY
