English 12 Midterm Victorian Literature Study Guide PDF

English 12 Midterm Victorian Literature Study Guide General information: ○ Victorian Literature is divided into three periods: Early, Middle and Late ○ The most popular form of literature in the early and middle periods were novels. ○ They included city settings and realistic cha...

English 12 Midterm Victorian Literature Study Guide General information: ○ Victorian Literature is divided into three periods: Early, Middle and Late ○ The most popular form of literature in the early and middle periods were novels. ○ They included city settings and realistic characters. ○ They were influenced by the expanding middle class which encouraged the growth of circulating libraries and periodicals, and for the first time, there was a common interest between the writer and aristocracy. ○ The number of successful women writers in Victorian England is surprising because women were generally subject to men. ○ The Victorian novelist felt a duty to report on the social conditions of their time. ○ The realistic novel combined an evolution of events including coincidences and the role of chance. Writer to focus on from the Early Period: Charles Dickens ○ Dickens’s works were influenced by the Bible and fairy tales and fables, and by 18th century Gothic novels. ○ The plots of his novels were well organized though sometimes a bit sentimental. ○ His novels came out in installments. ○ London is described in realistic detail. ○ The aim of his novels was to draw attention to public abuses, evils and wrongs. ○ Wrote “Oliver Twist”: The events take place in a large stone hall. Oliver is chosen to ask for more food. The authorities are horrified by his request. Repetition and exaggeration are used in the text to draw attention to certain details. There are several antithetical images in the passage to emphasize the contrast between the characters. Writers to focus on from the Middle Period: Charlotte and Emily Bronte ○ The Bronte sisters grew up in an isolated part of northern England. ○ Although they spent brief periods at school, they were mostly self-educated at home. ○ They had one brother who led a dissolute life, spoiled by alcohol and drugs. ○ They published a novel each in 1847 using male pseudonyms. ○ Emily and Anne died early of consumption. ○ Charlotte Wrote “Jane Eyre”: Jane is lively, enthusiastic and sociable. Mr. Rochester has the typical qualities of a young lustful villain. In her adult years, Jane rebels against women's subservient role in Victorian society and the Victorian attitude to children. Marriage in the novel is presented as an inevitable social compromise.  The story is presented with the voice of different characters in the novel. ○ Emily wrote “Wuthering Heights”: The novel revolves around two families and two houses in Yorkshire. The main characters are Heathcliff, a foundling brought up by the Earnshaws, and Cathy, the woman he passionately loves. Heathcliff and Cathy Earnshaw grew up together but Cathy married their rich neighbor Edgar Linton, who is more socially suitable. Heathcliff hears her say she cannot marry him for social reasons and leaves before he can hear her declaration of love for him. Heathcliff feels in despair, returns a wealthy man and marries Edgar’s sister in revenge. The description of Linton is cold, while the description of Heathcliff is passionate. Catherine tells Nelly about her dream about going to heaven and being unhappy to be there. Catherine’s language shows her nature to be highly sensitive and emotional. Nelly’s language is rational and pragmatic. Cathy dies in childbirth and years later her daughter is forced by Heathcliff to marry his weak son. The next generation brings peace to both families though there are rumors of Cathy and Heathcliff’s ghosts haunting the moors. Writers to focus on from the Late Period: Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson and Arthur Conan Doyle ○ Walt Whitman wrote “O Captain, My Captain!”: Walt Whitman was born into a working class family and had little formal education. He began to spread his radical idea through journalism. The fourth edition contained poems dedicated to President Lincoln. Walt Whitman believed in the values of democracy and thought that life was a continuous flow. ○ Emily Dickinson wrote “Because I Could Not Stop For Death”: Emily Dickinson was born into a middle-class Puritan family in Massachusetts in 1830. She was strongly influenced by her father in her emotional development and religious beliefs. She led a secluded life hiding her person and her mind from those around her. She communicated above all through letters and poetry. During her lifetime she allowed only seven out of nearly 2,000 poems to  be printed. Four years after her death a selection of her poems were published with some corrections in 1890. ○ Arthur Conan Doyle wrote “The Hound of the Baskervilles” Short Answer Writing Sections: ○ How effective was Dickens as a social reformer and how did he give the reading public an idea of the dual reality of Victorian cities? ○ Both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights have been made into films many times. What characteristics do the novels have that makes them so well-suited to cinema? ○ How does Whitman’s poetry reflect the optimism and democracy of the American nation? ○ What can be considered to be the characteristics of Dickinson’s poetry. Think about the themes chosen and the style. ○ Novels and poems before the Victorian age did not usually have a female protagonist, but now they do. Sometimes the novels were considered scandalous because of the actions, thoughts, and feelings expressed in these novels. Choose a female heroine from either a writer’s works and explain how her portrayal might relate to social events of the time. ○ Describe an author who challenged social and literary conventions with his/her novels and/or poems and maybe even with their life. Explain how he/she did this through their writing. Dickens as a Social Reformer: Charles Dickens was highly effective as a social reformer through his vivid portrayal of the harsh realities of Victorian society. His works, such as Oliver Twist and Hard Times, shed light on the suffering of the poor, the abuse in workhouses, and the failure of social institutions. By weaving these social issues into engaging narratives, Dickens brought attention to the stark contrasts within Victorian cities—the opulence of the wealthy versus the poverty-stricken conditions of the poor—giving the public a clear sense of the era’s dual reality. Characteristics of Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights for Cinema: Both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights are well-suited to cinema due to their strong, complex characters and dramatic, emotional plots. These novels explore themes of love, passion, and social constraints, which provide compelling visual and emotional content for film adaptations. Their Gothic elements, intense romantic relationships, and atmospheric settings are also visually striking, making them a natural fit for cinematic interpretation. Whitman’s Poetry and American Optimism: Walt Whitman’s poetry is deeply reflective of the optimism and democratic ideals of the American nation. His work, particularly in Leaves of Grass, celebrates individualism, freedom, and the collective spirit of the people. Whitman’s open embrace of diversity, the power of the self, and the belief in the American experiment resonated with the nation's growing sense of identity and its democratic values. Characteristics of Dickinson’s Poetry: Emily Dickinson’s poetry is characterized by its concise, enigmatic style and exploration of themes such as death, immortality, nature, and the inner workings of the mind. She often employed unconventional punctuation and capitalization, creating a sense of ambiguity and open interpretation. Dickinson’s introspective and often solitary themes reflect her personal reclusiveness and the broader intellectual and spiritual questioning of the 19th century. Female Heroine and Social Events: In Jane Eyre, the protagonist’s journey can be seen as a response to social norms and the constraints placed on women in Victorian society. Jane’s intelligence, independence, and insistence on moral and emotional autonomy challenge the typical submissive female role of the time. Her story reflects the growing discussions on women’s rights and personal freedoms during the 19th century, a period when women began to push against traditional gender roles. Author Who Challenged Conventions: Virginia Woolf challenged social and literary conventions through her experimental writing style and exploration of the inner lives of her characters. In works like Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse, Woolf broke away from traditional narrative structures, using stream-of-consciousness and multiple perspectives to reflect the complexity of individual experience. Her life and writing also questioned the constraints placed on women in society, advocating for greater autonomy, intellectual freedom, and artistic expression for women.