Trace the development of modern English fiction with specific reference to the major shifts in literacy perspective during nineteenth century
Answers
English novels are an important part of english literature. The unique features about the 19th century novel was it directly addressed the readers. At that time there was 3 different writing movements one was romantic period, the American Ronaissance and the Realistic movement also known as realism.
In the last mentioned period there was a depiction or contemporary life and society as it was at that time.
The realism in novel has been practiced since mid of 19th century .it was mixed with romanticism which is why it was not be called a pure realism.
The dominating trend at the beginning of the 19th century was that of Romanticism, wherein poets like Coleridge and Wordsworth wrote mainly about nature. Their works were not directly affected by the social problems of those times. Poetry was the most celebrated form of literature.
As the century proceeded, the emergence of the realists was noted. The Realists believed that literature needed to reflect reality and society. They used their writings as a medium to throw light on what was actually happening in society. The works of Thomas Hardy and Charles Dickens showcase some dark and dreary aspects of realism.
The turn of the century also witnessed a growth in prose. Novels thus became popular. Given the political scenario in England, politically aligned newsletters and magazines started enjoying patronage. Thus, a lot of print material that contained time sensitive information (as in case of newsletters) found its way into society.
The subject also changed. The focus shifted from nature to the common man, his condition, expectations and needs. This can be attributed to the French Revolution as well as the Industrial Revolution in England. Both these movements took away the absolute power enjoyed by the aristocracy and established the middle class. There were now many more readers than earlier, since the regular citizen could relate to the writings.
Other notable movements of the 19th century include Naturalism, which took into account social factors like heredity and environment, and Symbolism, in which authors refrained from describing ‘universal truths’ directly. Instead, they used objects and images as symbols to convey their ideas.
As a result, Romantic and Gothic literature, both of which genres depended heavily on imagination, suffered. They lost considerable popularity.
As can be seen, literature came to be greatly influenced by the social and political changes in society.