Victorian Period

significant political and social reforms.

Great Reform Act of 1832 -

extended voting rights

Social changes, especially benefiting the working class.

Population was concentrated in urban areas (slum towns) overcrowded and unhealthy

Poor and homeless individuals could seek shelter in workhouses

complex and contradictory period

age of progress

marked by poverty, injustice, and social unrest

strong moralistm - values such as duty, hard work, respectability, and charity.

vast empire, including Canada, India, Australia, and parts of Africa.

Boer Wars (1880-1881, 1899-1902) between british and dutch settlers in South Africa

The American Civil War (1861–1865)

There was a growing pessimism

Social Darwinism, a theory that applied natural selection to human society

The rise of the middle class, the growth of literacy, and the expansion of periodicals made literature widely accessible.

The novel became the most popular form of literature, often read aloud in families as a form of entertainment.

Victorian novelists saw themselves as having a moral and social responsibility

Late victorian novel reflected the moral and religious crisis of the time

Children’s Literature: Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Crime Fiction

Pessimistic Literature

Colonial Literature

Lower middle-class family -- His father was imprisoned due to debt -- Charles was forced to work in a factory at the age of 12

He began his career as a reporter at the House of Commons

He published a succession of highly successful novels, usually in monthly instalments, which made him very popular

Hard Times

1854

The novel criticizes a purely logical, fact-based approach to life, showing how it can lead to emotional emptiness.

highlights the harsh working conditions and social divisions in industrial England.

The Gradgrind family’s emotional suppression leads to suffering, while Sissy’s warmth brings hope.

Hard Times is divided in three sections:
“Sowing” (semina) - Shows the reader how Mr. Gradring’s and Mr Bounderby’s children are brought up.
“Reaping” (mietitura/raccolto) - Shows the effects of such education: the unhappy marriage of Louisa, Tom’s criminal life and Stephen’s rejection from Coketown.
“Garnering”(guadagno) - final reflections

observation of real people.

Dickens’ novels are defined as social or humanitarian, they had a didactic aim to make the ruling classes aware of social problems.

Scottish writer known for adventure and gothic novels.

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886), explores the theme of duality and the conflict between good and evil.

The novel explores themes of duality, morality, and the dangers of repressing one's darker nature, showing that evil, once unleashed, can become impossible to control.

Irish playwright, poet, and writer, famous for his wit and refined style.

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890) is his only novel and explores the themes of moral corruption and the obsession with beauty,and the consequences of unchecked hedonism.

Dorian Gray, a young man of extraordinary beauty, wishes to remain forever young while his portrait ages instead of him. As he leads an increasingly depraved life, the painting becomes a reflection of his corrupted soul, leading to a tragic conclusion.