4.1 Victorian society and the rise of social realism

Victorian society underwent massive changes during the Industrial Revolution, sparking a literary movement called social realism. Authors like Charles Dickens and Elizabeth Gaskell used their novels to shine a light on the harsh realities faced by the working class.

These writers aimed to expose social injustices through detailed, authentic portrayals of urban life. Their work raised awareness about issues like poverty and child labor, influencing public opinion and contributing to the push for social reforms in Victorian England.

Victorian England: Context and Influence

Industrial Revolution and Social Changes

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• Victorian era (1837-1901) characterized by rapid industrialization, technological advancements, and significant social changes
• Industrial Revolution led to urbanization created stark divide between wealthy industrial elite and impoverished working class
• Expansion of British Empire influenced literature through themes of imperialism, colonialism, and exotic settings
• Social reforms gradually extended voting rights and political representation (Reform Acts of 1832, 1867, and 1884)
• Rise of middle class and increased literacy rates created new readership influenced themes, styles, and publication methods
  • Expanded market for novels and periodicals
  • Serialization of novels became popular (Dickens' works)

Scientific and Social Developments

• Scientific advancements challenged traditional religious beliefs and moral values
  • Darwin's theory of evolution sparked debates on faith and science
  • Geological discoveries questioned biblical timeline
• "Woman Question" and early feminist movements emerged influenced literary portrayals of women
  • Discussions on women's rights, education, and suffrage
  • New Female characters challenged traditional roles (Jane Eyre)
• Public health concerns arose due to poor urban living conditions
  • Cholera outbreaks in London (1832, 1848)
  • Establishment of Public Health Act 1848

Social Realism: Response to Change

Depicting Harsh Realities

• Social realism developed to accurately depict harsh realities of working-class life and social injustices
• Authors aimed to expose negative consequences of urbanization
  • Poverty, child labor, unsanitary living conditions in overcrowded cities
• Rejected romanticized or idealized portrayals of society focused on objective, detailed descriptions
• Authors conducted extensive research and observations to ensure authenticity
  • Elizabeth Gaskell lived among factory workers in Manchester
  • Charles Dickens visited workhouses and slums

Literary Techniques and Influences

• Employed journalistic or documentary-style approach to lend credibility and evoke empathy
  • Use of statistics and factual information in narratives
  • Incorporation of dialect and colloquial language
• Influenced by earlier literary traditions such as naturalism and social novel
  • Émile Zola's naturalism in France
  • Maria Edgeworth's social novels in Ireland
• Coincided with growing public awareness of social inequalities and desire for reform
  • Chartist movement advocating for working-class rights
  • Formation of trade unions and labor organizations

Social Problem Novels: Characteristics and Themes

Narrative Strategies and Settings

• Featured protagonists from different social classes to highlight contrasts and conflicts
  • Cross-class romances (North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell)
  • Characters moving between social strata (Great Expectations by Charles Dickens)
• Detailed descriptions of urban settings, particularly industrial cities and slums
  • Coketown in Hard Times by Charles Dickens
  • Manchester in Mary Barton by Elizabeth Gaskell
• Use of multiple narrative perspectives to present diverse viewpoints on social issues
  • Omniscient narrators providing social commentary
  • First-person accounts from characters of different classes

Thematic Focus and Literary Devices

• Focused on specific social issues such as poverty, child labor, factory conditions, and class disparities
  • Child labor in Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
  • Factory conditions in North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell
• Employed didactic tone to educate readers about social problems and inspire moral reflection
  • Direct addresses to the reader
  • Authorial interventions and commentary
• Themes of social mobility, education, and self-improvement explored possibilities and limitations of individual agency
  • Pip's journey in Great Expectations
  • Jane Eyre's pursuit of independence and education
• Incorporated elements of melodrama and sentimentalism to engage readers emotionally
  • Tragic deaths of sympathetic characters
  • Dramatic revelations and plot twists

Literature: Exposing and Critiquing Social Issues

Impact on Public Discourse

• Victorian literature raised awareness about social injustices reached wide audience and influenced public opinion
• Novels prompted public debates and discussions contributed to broader discourse on social reform
  • Dickens' Oliver Twist sparked debates on workhouse conditions
  • Gaskell's Mary Barton led to discussions on labor relations
• Authors used platform to advocate for specific causes
  • Factory reforms, improved sanitation, educational opportunities for working class
• Literature humanized experiences of marginalized groups fostered empathy among middle and upper-class readers
  • Sympathetic portrayals of orphans, factory workers, and the urban poor

Collaboration and Criticism

• Authors collaborated with social reformers and politicians supported ongoing campaigns
  • Charles Dickens worked with philanthropist Angela Burdett-Coutts
  • Elizabeth Gaskell corresponded with social reformers and factory owners
• Impact extended beyond immediate readership influenced journalism, parliamentary debates, and social reform movements
  • Thomas Carlyle's writings on the "Condition of England Question"
  • Friedrich Engels' The Condition of the Working Class in England
• Critics and scholars debated effectiveness and accuracy of literary portrayals of social issues
  • Discussions on balance between art and social commentary
  • Debates on authenticity of working-class representations by middle-class authors