Industrialisation influenced social, political and cultural principles of the British society of that time in different ways. As a reaction to social and historical changes in the country some new literary forms came into being. Literary critics of the Victorian period put emphasis on the social novel as the most common narrative form of the time. The reason for predominance of this literary genre seems to be obvious: the social novel is “the vehicle best equipped to present a picture of life lived a given society.” However, the phenomenon of the popularity of the social novel and its contribution to the development of the new value system cannot be explained in one sentence.
In this paper I am going to illustrate in which ways the social novel as a literary genre responded to industrial processes in terms of its themes and attitudes.
The relation between literature and society is always a two-way relation. On the one hand, the social novel was seen as “a mirror of social changes”; on the other hand, it fulfilled certain functions aimed to influence the society in different ways. The second part of my paper deals with the function of the social novel.
Since my aims are concerned with the general description of the social novel as a genre, I will not give a detailed analysis of individual novels. To illustrate my arguments by examples, I used “North and South” by E. Gaskell and “Hard Times” by C. Dickens. Both novels appear to be the clear representatives of the genre.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1 The reflection of social changes in fictional works
1.1 From rural society to urbanization
1.2 The representation of the class society
1.3 Class struggle as one of the main themes of the English industrial novel
2 The functions of the social novel
2.1 Social criticism in the novel
2.2 Social novel as entertainment
2.3 The moral function of the social novel
Conclusion
Objectives and Core Topics
This paper examines how the social novel as a literary genre served as a narrative response to the industrialization of Great Britain in the mid-19th century. It investigates the thematic portrayal of urbanization and class conflict, while critically analyzing the functions of these novels regarding social criticism, entertainment, and moral education.
- The depiction of transition from rural society to industrialized urban life.
- Representation of social class hierarchies and the resulting antagonism.
- Evaluation of the social novel as a vehicle for reform versus a commercial product.
- The role of literature as a moral instructor for the Victorian reading public.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 From rural society to urbanization
In the course of industrialisation Great Britain had become increasingly less rural and more urban. However, the development of the country into an urban society was geographically unequal. The industrial activities were concentrated in big cities in the Northern regions, while the South of the country remained to be directly dependent on land and agriculture. The unbalanced industrial development caused an immense difference in living standards between the population of the Northern and Southern regions and, as a consequence, the migration into the Northern cities.
The comparative description of the South, which stands for the “old” pre-industrial society, and the North, which symbolizes “the new world”, is a typical feature of the industrial novel plot. Literary critics of the Victorian period consider the contrast between North and South to be an innovatory element of the social novel. John Lucas argues that the classification of the major Victorian novelists into provincial and urban is a decisive point for the understanding of their authorial intentions. So the group of authors who describe the changing world from the non-metropolitan point of view (El. Gaskell, G. Eliot, T. Hardy) is in many ways separated from Dickens or Thackeray, for whom a big city is the centre of the social and cultural life. Urban novelists show the contrast between the “rural past” and “industrial future rather implicitly, concentrating more on the detailed descriptions of the living conditions in the northern towns, while provincial novelists depict the distinctions more explicitly, as we will see it by example of Gaskell’s “North&South”.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter defines the industrial novel as a literary response to social changes and introduces the focus on E. Gaskell and C. Dickens.
1 The reflection of social changes in fictional works: This section explores how industrialization, urbanization, and class hierarchy are depicted within Victorian literary works.
1.1 From rural society to urbanization: This chapter analyzes the geographical disparity between the industrial North and the rural South and its impact on the narrative setting.
1.2 The representation of the class society: This chapter examines the portrayal of the antagonistic classes—aristocracy, bourgeoisie, and working class—in the social novel.
1.3 Class struggle as one of the main themes of the English industrial novel: This chapter discusses the conflicts between masters and men, emphasizing both economic and cultural dimensions.
2 The functions of the social novel: This chapter introduces the Victorian novel as a commercial product and sets the stage for analyzing its social and moral roles.
2.1 Social criticism in the novel: This chapter questions whether the social novel acted as a genuine instrument for reform or rather as an artistic representation of social issues.
2.2 Social novel as entertainment: This chapter highlights the underestimated role of the novel as a source of amusement and its use of suspense to satisfy public taste.
2.3 The moral function of the social novel: This chapter explores how literature functioned as a form of self-education and moral instruction for the Victorian masses.
Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the findings, arguing that the social novel was primarily designed to influence reader imagination and promote patriotic pride rather than to incite radical social change.
Keywords
Industrialisation, Social Novel, Victorian Literature, Urbanisation, Class Struggle, Industrial Revolution, Social Criticism, Elizabeth Gaskell, Charles Dickens, North and South, Hard Times, Moral Education, Bourgeoisie, Class Consciousness, Literature and Society
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The paper examines how the English social novel functioned as a literary response to the industrialization and social transformations of 19th-century Britain.
What are the central themes discussed in the paper?
Key themes include urbanization, the representation of class hierarchies, the nature of class struggle, and the various functional roles of the Victorian novel.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to illustrate how the social novel responded to industrial processes through its themes and to analyze its specific functions regarding social criticism, entertainment, and morality.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The author employs a literary-analytical approach, utilizing specific examples from "North and South" by E. Gaskell and "Hard Times" by C. Dickens to support general descriptions of the genre.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the portrayal of social changes in fiction, the depiction of class societies, the nature of class conflict, and the analytical functions of the genre as an entertainment and moral tool.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
Essential keywords include Industrialisation, Social Novel, Victorian Literature, Class Struggle, and the names of the primary authors, Gaskell and Dickens.
How does the author view the "social reformer" aspect of Charles Dickens?
The author argues that while Dickens was a talented writer who depicted social evils, he should not be strictly categorized as a "social reformer" because his works were intended to influence reader imagination rather than to provoke radical political changes.
Why does the author classify the social novel as an "entertainment" product?
The author notes that Victorian novels were commercial products designed to satisfy the reading public's taste through suspenseful structures and realistic depictions, functioning as a popular form of escapism and amusement.
What was the moral message promoted by industrial novels?
According to the paper, these novels promoted the idea that individuals must adapt to the new industrial society and fostered a sense of patriotic pride in the achievements brought about by industrialization.
- Quote paper
- MA Anna Fedorova (Author), 2005, Social fiction as a response to industrialisation, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/113588
