Literary Features Of The Victorian Age

Introduction:

          The Victorian age was the one of the most remarkable period in the history of English literature. This age does not begin to year in which Queen Victoria Ruled in England, but Victorianism means an attitude to life and things. This age was also called as the age of Tennyson, because its limit concedes with the limit of his creative life. He is the most representative writer of his time and the mirror of his age. The age witnessed the flowery of the poetry in the hands of the most of poet. It marked the growth of English Novel. It also leads on the foundation of English prose on surer footing.

A Note of Individuality:

       A Note of Individuality is the hallmark of the Victorian Literature.   The literary figures of the period had Originality in Outlook, Character and style. Tennyson loved to sing a song of Independence. In the novels of Dickens we find Originality. The Works of the Bronte Sisters were unique in style. The writing of charlotte, Browning and others were full of enthusiasm and spirit.

The Great Age of Prose and Novel:

      Indeed the Victorian was age of prose and the novel. Though the age produced many poets. It was the remarkable Age of Prose and Novel. The novel of the age enjoyed the same status as the drama of the Elizabethan age. We don’t find that in any age of language. The novel had appeared in such a number and such perfection. There was a host of such a novelist. It includes Charles Dickens, Thackeray, George Eliot, The Bronte sisters and so on.  The prose writer was Carlyle. John Ruskin, Arnold and Others.

A Deep Moral Note:

       One of the remarkable qualities of the Victorian literature is that it had a deep moral note. The responsible reason for it was the development of science. Darwin’s theory of Evolution created doubts regarding God. Both in prose and poetry there was a departing from the purely artistic standard. It was for a certain moral purpose. Tennyson, Browning, Carlyle, Ruskin were primarily interested for their country man. They were inspired by a conscious moral purpose. They wanted to uplift their fellowmen. Even Charles Dickens, Thackeray, George Eliot also wrote with the same tendency. 

The Reflection of Social and Political Life:

       The literature of the age was co-related with the social and political life of the period. The Victorian literary artists were inspired by the social zeal.  They wanted to represent the problem of their own age. The poet of the pre Raphaelite school was an exception Because of it the Victorian literature is the literature of the realism. It becomes an instrument of social reform and social propaganda. It was purposeful and deductive. 

 Art for Art’s shake:

      Mostly the literature of the period was the full of morality and socialism. There was reaction against such a tendency. A group of poet reacted against it. They were Pre-Raphaelite poets. They got inspiration from the middle ages. They wrote about the beauty and glory of past. They were in favor of the original purpose of literature – “to give aesthetic pleasure.”

A note of Pessimism and Optimism:

       A note of pessimism, doubt and despair runs through the literature. It is especially noticed in the poetry of Matthew Arnold and A. H. Clough. Newman Carlyle, Ruskin found everything dark and despaired. Though the note of pessimism runs through the literature, it cannot be pessimistic. Some writers were optimist and associated the age with the peace, progress and prosperity. A note of optimism reflected in the poetry of Browning. Ruskin’s Writings were full of optimism. Dickens, Thackeray, George Eliot inspire us with their faith and humanity. Tennyson did not lose his faith in human virtue.

The Spirit of Patriotism and Idealism:

      The note of patriotism runs through the Victorian Age. Tennyson, Dickens and others were inspired by the national pride. There was a sense of greatness of England in their work. A note of I idealism is reflected in the poetry of Browning.

Revival of Interest in Past:

       The Victorians were interested in the contemporary social and political life, yet they were fascinated by the old ages. Some of writers and poets had an effect of romanticism. They had romantic thrust for beauty, love and art. It had affected the work of Tennyson.

    The Pre Raphaelite remained unaffected toward middle ages. Oxford movement which was based on spiritual romanticism. Keble and Newman was the pioneer of the movement. Just as romanticism went back to old tradition and feeling, in same way Oxford Movement reforms and refreshed the religious life by return to past. Walter Pater and Oscar Wild were the pioneer of esthetic movement which was the reaction against utilitarianism. 

The Age of Compromise:

      The Victorian age was the age of Compromise. The Age is of the social changes. The old and new brings compromise between the divergent tendencies and conflict forces. In the field of political life there was compromise between the democracy and monarchy. The Victorian age was the age of materialism yet people did not loss their faith in religion.  So there was compromise between the religion and materialism. Romantic Revival had shown interest in nature and art as the subject matter of art. But the Victorian age exhibits very interesting and complex mixture of opposing elements. They were Romanticism and Classicism; Idealism and Imagism. 

Conclusion:

      In short we can say that, the Victorian age was full of literary activates and compromise. It was complex and the traditions of literature were really remarkable.