The main characteristics of the Victorian Novel

1. Martina Coccolo 5b The main characteristics of the Victorian Novel

2. Victorian novel, a photograph of social reality Social position “a man who could never sufficiently vaunt himself a self-made man” Industrial Revolution “the piston of the steam-engine worked monotonously up and down” Utilitarism “you saw nothing in Coketown but what was severely workful”

3. Contrast between middle class - workers “Mr. Bounderby take up a commanding position” Exploitation of children Nicholas Nickleby “he dismissed the first class to their experiment in practical philosophy” Oliver Twist “Oliver Twist and his companion suffered the torture of slow starvation for three months”

4. Grottesque “Nicholas distended his stomach” “Miss Sharp sees the dictionary flying” “the master, stationed himself at the copper” “a man who was a bully of humility” “the board were sitting in a solemn conclave” “aimed a blow at Oliver’s head”

5. Sense effects “monotonously up and down” “rattling and trembling” “it was a town of unnatural red and black” “ill-smelling” “a man made out of a coarse material, which seemed to have been stretched to make so much of him”

6. Parodic effects “Vive la France! Vive l’Empereur! Vive Bonapart!” “(Mr. Bounderby) perfectly devoid on sentiments” “that boy will be hung! said the gentleman” “indomitable little Aide-de-comp’s wife” “in this exciting occupation (experiment in pratical philosophy) the morning legged heavily on” “if this is a novel without an hero, at least let us lay claim to an heroine”

7. Narrator Intrusive Omniscent 3rd person

8. Characterization(through) Body description Behaviours Action Thought

9. Anti-Victorian NovelThomas Hardy “Jude the Obscure” UMANITY CAN’T COPE WITH SOCIAL CHANGING: “the boy’s face expressed the whole tale of their situation PURITAN VISION OF MARRIAGE “On that little shape had converged all the inauspiciousness and shadow which had darkened the first union of Jude” FATALISM “done because we are too menny”