Scarica The Victorian age: schema riassuntivo. e più Schemi e mappe concettuali in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! The Victorian Age Age of compromises (social problems, reforms, economic power). 1984: poor law = creation of workhouses. Utilitarianism: an act is good if it leads to happiness, all problems can be overcome with reason. Mill: Developing people’s talent to reach happiness, personal happiness doesn’t depend on money. Darwinism: natural selection (strong ones only can survive). Reaction to Utilitarianism = socialism. Reaction to Darwinism = religious reaction. Charles Dickens • English context of his time: industrial revolution. He’s a critic of his society (workhouses and utilitarianism) • He experienced workhouses himself (critic of the board, people who work there and starvation) • Oliver Twist 1837/38 • Poor kid who is an orphan and lives in a workhouse • It first appeared in instalments • All classes are judged both in a good and negative way • Happy ending from both an economic and family point of view • Oliver wants some more: irony and realism • Christmas Carol • Main character = Scrooge (cold-heart, greedy) • Ghost of his former business partner • Ghost of Christmas past + Ghost of Christmas present + Ghost of Christmas Yet to come • Change of personality of the character Robert Luis Stevenson • Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde 1886 • Modern idea, one of the first detective stories • Dr. Jekyll = a scientist and a good Victorian man • Aim of the experiment = moral aim= trying to separate his good side from his darkest impulses = permanent solution to the fight between good and evil • Jekyll can split his good side from his evil one until this last one takes over him: Jekyll slowly turns permanently into Mr. Hyde • The fight inside man can’t be solved. Duality can’t be avoided nor solved as it is part of human nature • Jekyll’s experiment: • First impression = freedom • Having just good side doesn’t imply freedom Oscar Wilde • The aesthetic movement (dandy) • Artist = can create a work of art + beauty and eternity + can love + is true in a society of lies + is a victim of society • Critic of his his society • The importance of being Ernest 1895 • Ernest means honest. All women fell in love with him because of his appearance (they thought that the man was really honest) • The society loved lies as respectability was more important • Nobody in society is honest, the plot supports lies • Mother’s worries • Irony (rich people doing nothing of their time) • Higher classes are not interested in education • Respectability comes from social rules and fashion of the time (false appearance) • The picture of Dorian Gray 1891 • The main character is the dream of the aesthetic movement (young and beautiful forever), however he turns out to be unfulfilled • Regrets = no realisation = failure of the movement
