La letteratura inglese nell'era vittoriana, Appunti di Inglese

Scarica La letteratura inglese nell'era vittoriana e più Appunti in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! The victorian era 63 years of reign (1818-1901)→ longest reign beforeQueenElizabeth II. - Printing became cheaper→ growth in literary production - General optimism towards the present and theture (but only for the high andmiddle class) - Strongworking classmovement - 1832: GreatReformAct→ it did little for theworking class - 2main parties: a. Liberals→ free trade inEngland→ repeal of Corn laws in 1846 b. Conservatives→worried about extending the right to vote tomasses, so the fought against it - Poverty→ poor kidswere forced towork, since povertywas considered a crime. - Workhouses→where childrenwere exploited towork andhad to sleep there - Diens→ “Oliver Twist” COLONIALEXPANSION FromAsia toAfrica to central America toOceania. 1877: QueenVictoria becomesEmpress of India→Why?→Because in 1857 India rebelled against England. 1851: THEGREATEXHIBITION - Held inCrystal Palace (London) - Symbol of Britain’s power - Goods fromall over theworld 1870-1914: SECOND INDUSTRIALREVOLUTION Steammachines, railways, industry and transport→ faster andmore efficient. VICTORIANCOMPROMISE High/middle class→ progress, wealth, colonia expansion Working/poor class→ exploitation, poverty, injustice Victorian values: respectability and optimism. Charles Darwin Utilitarianism→ everything has to be usel to the greatest number of people→materialistic philosophy of life Evolutionism (byDarwin)→ against victorianmorals and religion Setting and characters: - London - Provincial towns - Industrial settlements - Lower andmiddle classes - Upper class and aristocrats→ stereotypes Main criticismagainstDiens: simplisticway of life→ good/bad Style: comicality + social criticism Didactic aim→ task:without offending themiddle class readers, he wanted tomake the upper classes aware of the social problems. “Hard times” Setting: Coketown, a fictional industrial town inmid-19th-century VictorianEngland. Against: inhumanity of factory systemandutilitarianism. Protagonist: ThomasGradgrind, a teacherwho believes in utilitarianism→negative character→his education systemwants to destroy the kids’ imagination and creativity Characteristics: - Comical elements - Dehumanising effects of an industrial society based on a materialistic view of life Bronte sisters Theywere born inHaworth (englishmoors) All threewere novelists. After theirmother’s death, theywere sent to a boarding school, which served as an inspiration for the novel “JaneEyre”. After that period, they study at home (middle class). In 1847 they published theirmasterpieces undermale pseudonyms (“Bell brothers”). Charlotte→ JaneEyre Emily→WutheringHeights Anne→AgnesGrey “Jane Eyre” Subtitle: an autobiography Thework reflects the life experiences of the author. It provoked a scandal because Jane is a strong, determinedwoman who resesmultiplemarriage proposals. Novel’s qualities: - Realistic observation of society→ typical ofVictorian novels - Humour - Intensity of feelings→ precise description of emotions - 1st personnarrator - Education novel (harshness of education) + character growth (from insecure to confident) - Romantic novel (romance + adventure) Characters: Jane: - Heroine→ courage, determination - Independent - Mature Rochester: - Byronic hero - Attracted to Jane’s soul and personality b. what victorian valueswere expecting from them (conventions) 1st time in victorian novel: passionate love story betweenmain characters Itwas not an immediate success: - It provoked a scandal because it’s about passionate love - No presence of victorianmoral values > Exaltation of feelings over reason and itsmystical unionwith nature (different fromCharlotte Bronte’s point of view). Key events 1. The foundlingHeathcliff is brought toWutheringHeights byMr Earnshaw. 2. Oppression and exploitation ofHeathcliff byHindley,Mr Earnshaw’s son. 3. CatherineEarnshaw,MrEarnshaw’s daughter, andHeathcliff become twin souls. 4. Catherine’s transformation from “savage” to “proper lady” during her stay at ThrushcrossGrange (representation of victorians’ conventions). 5. She betraysHeathcliff because shemarries Edgar Linton (conventionalmarriage instead of actual love). 6. Heathcliffwants revenge onCathy’s action, so he becomes a gentleman. 7. Cathy tries to have bothHeathcliff andEdgar. 8. She dies of illness. 9. Heathcliffmarries Isabella Linton out of revenge 10.He’s an abusive husband 11. Degradation ofHareton,Heathcliff and Isabella’s son 12. Heathcliff loses interest in revenge 13. He dies 14. The two soulsmeet again in death 15. Cathy II (daughter of Catherine andEdgar) andHaretonmarry. Why couldn’t Catherine andHeathcliffmarry? - He’s basically her step-brother - He’s poor → They love one another but societywouldn’t accept it. Setting: WutheringHeights: 1. Home of theEarnshaw 2. Gloomy and brutal in aspect and atmosphere 3. Home of passion and instinct 4. Heathcliff andCatherine both belong to it because of their love 5. Love andnatural elements aremixed 6. →Stormand energy ThrushcrossGrange 1. Home of the Lintons 2. Reflects victorian conventions 3. Symbolises stability, kindness and respectability 4. → calm Themoors: Sublime→ beautil andwild Themoorsmirror the complexity of the characters. Difference fromDiens: Emily Bronte’s characters are difficult to categorise (good/bad). Themoors are the reflection of the concept of absolute freedom beyond place or time. They represent theRomantic rejection of society and the desire to transcend its rules.