50 THE VICTORIAN NOVEL

Victorian Era

The period in British history during the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901, marked by significant social and moral responsibilities and the rise of the novel.

Industrial Revolution

A period of significant industrial growth and societal transformation in England, which influenced many aspects of life, including literature.

Charles Dickens

A leading Victorian novelist known for his vivid depictions of society and characters, addressing social issues such as poverty and class disparity.

Social Critique

The practice of examining and criticizing societal structures, often seen in Victorian literature as authors addressed social injustices.

Realistic novels

A category of novels that depict middle-class life and often address social issues with depth of character, becoming the most respected form in the Victorian Era.

Reform Bills

Legislative measures that expanded voting rights in Britain, reflecting social and political changes during the Victorian Era.

Factory Act (1833)

A law that regulated child labor in factories, demonstrating societal concern for workers' rights in the Victorian period.

George Eliot

The pen name of Mary Ann Evans, a significant Victorian novelist known for her intellectual depth and moral complexity in works like 'Middlemarch'.

Wuthering Heights

A novel by Emily Brontë that blends realism and imaginative vision, exploring deep human passions and societal norms.

Sensation novels

A genre of fiction in the Victorian Era that became popular for its focus on crime, mystery, and domestic issues, appealing to lower classes.

Moral Purpose

The intent of many Victorian authors to use literature as a means to reform society and raise awareness of moral issues.

Thomas Hardy

An influential Victorian novelist known for his portrayal of rural life and exploration of tragic dimensions of human existence.

Vanity Fair

A novel by William Thackeray that satirizes social dynamics within the British upper middle classes, highlighting themes of ambition and hypocrisy.

The Brontë Sisters

Charlotte and Emily Brontë, noted for their powerful and imaginative contributions to Victorian literature, exploring themes of gender and social constraints.

The Poor-Law Amendment Act (1834)

Legislation that recognized poverty as a societal problem and sought to address welfare issues in Victorian England.

Middle-class

The social class that flourished during the Victorian Era, playing a central role in the readership and production of novels.

Utilitarian philosophy

A doctrine influencing Victorian society, critiqued in Dickens's works, prioritizing practical consequences over moral considerations.