The Victorian Novel

Key features of Victorian novels.

Victorian novels share several key features:

• Social Commentary: They often explored and criticised social issues of their time.
• Complex Characters: The characters were multifaceted and developed over the course of the story.
• Complex Plots: The plots were complex and intertwined.
• Moral Lessons: Many novel aim to teach moral lessons to their readers.

Origin and Definition

The Victorian noble evolved from earlier literary traditions, particularly in the Gothic and Romantic movements of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It can be broadly defined as an extensive work of fiction, published during Queen Victoria's reign, reflecting the social, moral and cultural values of the era. The focus and style of these novels shifted as the Victorian period progressed.

Early Victorian Novels

Early Victorian novels, written between 1837 and 1850, were often characterised by the following features:

Features

• Social Realism: The novels depicted the harsh realities of life in Victorian England, including poverty, crime and social injustice.
• Moral Didacticism: They aimed to teach moral lessons and promote social reform.
• Serialisation: Many novels were published instalments, allowing readers to follow the story over time.
• Omniscient Narrator: Authors typically used on all knowing narrator to guide readers and provide commentary.

Characters

Early Victorian novels often featured characters representing social types or moral qualities; 

they became more complex over time.

Early Victorian Novels Examples

1. "Oliver Twist" (1837-1839) by Charles Dickens.
2. "Jane Eyre" (1847) by Charlotte Brontë.
3. "Wuthering Heights" (1847) by Emily Brontë.
4. "Vanity Fair" open (1848) by William Makepeace Thackeray.
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"Oliver Twist", by Charles Dickens, exemplifies many early Victorian novel characteristics. It portrays poverty and crime in London, critiques social institutions like workhouses and uses anonymous and narrator to guide readers' moral judgements.

Late Victorian Novels

Late Victorian novels, written between the 1860s and 1901, often explored:

Features

• Psychological Depth: They examined the inner thoughts and motivations of characters.
• Social and Moral Ambiguity: They questioned traditional values and explored complex moral dilemmas.
• Experimentation with Form: They experimented with different narrative styles and techniques.

Characters

Late Victorian novels often featured more morally ambiguous characters, reflecting the era growing uncertainties.

Examples

1. "Great Expectations" (1861) by Charles Dickens.
2. "Middlemarch" (1871-1872) by George Elliot.
3. "The Return of the Native" open (1878) by Thomas Hardy.
4. "The Picture of Dorian Gray" (1890) by Oscar Wilde.

"Middlemarch", by George Elliot, is a prime example of the late Victorian novel. It explores characters' psychologies, questions, social conventions and presents a complex, nuanced view of society.