The-Victorian-Age英国文学维多利亚时期

TheVictorianAge(EnglishLiteratureofCriticalRealisminEngland)AlexandrinaVictoria

1819-1901Attheageof18Victoriainheritedthethrone,shereignedfor64years“ThesunneversetsontheQueen’sempire”thepowerandinfluenceofBritainaroundtheworldTheOpiumWarShediedalonelyrulerAboutQueenVictoria:

1837年，18岁的女王维多利亚登基，新女王在继位之前的日记中写道：既然上帝把我置于这个国家的王位上，我将尽力履行自己的职责。我尚年轻，可能在许多方面缺乏经验，但我肯定，几乎无人像我这样怀着为国为民的良好意愿和真切希望。女王充分实现了自己的诺言：她在其一生中模范地履行了立宪君主的职责，因此深受国民的爱戴；她还是那个时代道德风尚的典范，她是贤妻，又是良母，是典型的大家闺秀，也是优秀的一家主妇。她自己生活严谨，工作刻苦，对别人又充满责任感。在许多国人眼中，她就是那个时代的缩影，她漫长的63年在位时期则是国家繁荣昌盛的顶峰。维多利亚在位时期，被称作“维多利亚时代”，在英国所有国王中，她享有盛誉，这不是因为她做出了什么轰动的事业，而是因为她什么都不做，而仅仅恪守立宪君主的本分，做她那个时代的表率。

她是第一个以“大不列颠和爱尔兰联合王国女王和印度女皇”名号称呼的英国君主。她在位的64年期间（1837-1901年），是英国最强盛的所谓“日不落帝国”时期。女王统治时期，在英国历史上被称为维多利亚时代。她在位的60余年正值英国自由资本主义由方兴未艾到鼎盛、进而过渡到垄断资本主义的转变时期，经济、文化空前繁荣，君主立宪制得到充分发展，使维多利亚女王成了英国和平与繁荣的象征。

1837年维多利亚女王即位时，英国已经完成了资本主义工业革命，为了满足国家寻找原料地和销售市场的要求，英国开始在世界各地建立殖民地和自治领。1840年英国占领了新西兰，这标志着英国在全世界的殖民体系形成。英国对中国的野心由来已久。英国与中国的贸易最早始于茶叶、丝绸的贸易；但是这些商品是英国市场上的奢侈品，而中国自给自足的经济体制使得英国的工业革命的产品毫无用武之地。为了扭转对华贸易逆差，英国商人开始在英国政府的支持下倾销鸦片。1839年，林则徐在虎门销烟，极大程度上打击了英国政府的倾销政策，1840年初，维多利亚女王在议会上发表了著名的演说，呼吁“为了大英帝国的利益”，向中国发动战争。第一次鸦片战争遂始。

维多利亚女王的名字，象征着一个时代。在维多利亚统治期间，英国国民空前团结，英国成为一个强大的帝国，并不断壮大发展。这是女王给英国人留下的最好遗产，也是对她一生政绩最有力的评价。极少有坐上帝位的女人，能像维多利亚一样，如此出色地完成了女王的职责，同时又拥有如此平凡的作为女人的幸福。她统治的时期，特别是1851年以后，在英国历史上被称为维多利亚时代。她在位的六十余年正值英国自由资本主义由方兴未艾到鼎盛、进而过渡到垄断资本主义的转变时期，英国极度强盛，经济、文化空前繁荣，科学、艺术都有很大的发展，君主立宪制得到充分成熟，维多利亚女王的名字成了英国和平与繁荣的象征。

维多利亚女王性格鲜明，秉性真挚。她忠于职守，具有治国之才；她不仅把时光消磨在工作上，也消磨在为家务操劳上；她忠于自己的丈夫，对子女要求严格，成为一代楷模。她的不懈努力，不仅使英国的文学，艺术、科学昌盛，经济繁荣，英国的生活方式（如英国贵族的下午茶）也从那时候开始成为世界各国人民所追逐仿效的对象。“维多利亚时代”被许多英国人所怀念。QueenElizabeth&QueenVictoria1st,onthethroneforalongperiodoftime2nd,Englanddevelopedrapidlybothpoliticallyandeconomically3rd,literatureflourishedTheVictorianEraTheTime1)theearly30s

ofthe19th

tothebeginningyearsofthe20thcentury2)thereignofQueenVictoriafrom1832(1837)to1901

theReformBill

（英国历史上1832年议会选举法修正法案）TheBackgroundoftheTimethepassageoftheReformBillin1832rapideconomicdevelopment

serioussocialproblems

RapidEconomicDevelopment

politicalpower

decayingaristocratic

industrialcapitalists

theIndustrialrevolution

amazingchanges

steampoweredengines

Serioussocialproblems

conflictscapitalistsworkers

hugeprofit

worselivingcondition

long-hourworkingnever-adequatefood

theChartistMovement

（宪章运动）WhatistheChartistMovement?

宪章运动

TheChartistMovement(1836-1848)wasorganizedbytheEnglishworkersinbigcitiesandbroughtforththePeople’sCharter,inwhichtheydemandedbasicrightsandbetterlivingandworkingconditions.Themovementbroughtsomeimprovementtothewelfareoftheworkingclass.ItwasthefirstmassmovementoftheEnglishworkingclassandtheearlysignoftheawakeningofthepoor,oppressedpeople.

TheVictorianage(1832-1901)

◆

HistoricalSituation

AnAgeofExpansionAnAgeofchangeandImprovementAnAgeofUnrestandDispute

ReignofQueenVictoria:1837-1901

TheVictorianage(1832-1901)AnAgeofExpansion：

---BritishEmpireatitshighestpointofdevelopmentasaworldpower,orthelargestnationonearth---thelargestexporterandimporterofgoodsintheworld;theprimarymanufacturerofgoodsandthewealthiestcountry---seeingitastheirdutytobringEnglishvalues,laws,customs,andreligiontothe“savage”racesaroundtheworld(Missionaries)

TheVictorianage(1832-1901)AnAgeofchangeandImprovement

---GreatExhibitionof1851andCrystalPalace(locomotives,machinetools,powerlooms,reapers,steamboatenginesandetc)--The1stReformActof1832andthe2ndReformactof1867:reformintheelectoralsystemleadingtoamoredemocraticsociety---,1830,1850,1900,PublicrailwayacrossEnglandandanundergroundrailsystembeneathLondon

TheVictorianage(1832-1901)

◆

HistoricalSituation

AnAgeofUnrestandDispute

SocialunrestIntellectualdiversityReligiousdebateunemployment,poverty,slumsinlargecites,terribleworkingconditions;UtilitarianismandJeremyBenthamLiberalismandJean-JacqueRousseauSocialismandKarlMarxGermanHigherCriticismDarwin’sTheOriginofSpecies(1859)OxfordMovementledbyCardinalNewmanTherapidgrowthofEvangelicalMethodism(循道宗)ChartistMovement;petitionsforwomen’ssuffrage;theMarriedWomen'sPropertyActs

TheVictorianage(1832-1901)---Puritanmorality:virtuesofhardwork;modestyandworldlysuccessagainstseekingworldlypleasure---Victorianquality:thehighstandardsofdecency;earnestpursuitofmoralsvs.practicesofprudery,falsemodesty,emptyrespectability---avoidanceofprofanityandsex&exposureoftheage’shypocrisyinfavorofsincerityandhumanitarianlove.

Victoriantemper

Influence

TheVictorianperiodhasbeengenerallyregardedasoneofthemostgloriousintheEnglishhistory.Asaresultofrelativepeaceathome,nationaleconomypickedupatahighspeed.Thecountrychangedfromanagriculturaltoanindustrializednation.Itbecamemoreurbanized,citiesgrewinsize,andvillagesdeclined.Educationbecamemoregeneral,andscienceandtechnologyadvanced.Despitethegapingextremesofwealthandpoverty,lifebecamevisiblyeasier.

Onthewhole,theVictorianperiodwascharacterizedbyrapidchangeinnearlyeverysphereofsocietyandoneoftransitionfromthepasttothemoderntimes.Hopeexistedalongsidedismay,andoptimismwascoloredbyanxiety.LiteratureoftheVictorianPeriod

TheVictorianPeriodofEnglishliteraturebeganwiththeaccessionofQueenVictoriatothethronein1837,andlasteduntilherdeathin1901.QueenVictoria(1819-1901)

TheVictorianPeriod(1832-1901)Theearlyphase(1832-1848):TimeofturbulenceThemiddlephase(1848-1870):timeofprosperityThelatephase(1870-1901):timeofdecayChartistliteratureandDemocraticpoetry

Criticalrealisticnovels,poetryandnon-fictionprose

Criticalrealists(ThomasHardy,SamuelButler),Naturalists(GeorgeGissing),schoolofAestheticism(WalterPater,OscarWilde)唯美主义CharacteristicsoftheEnglishliteratureinVictorianperiod

TheVictorianliterature,asaproductofitsage,naturallytookitsqualityofmagnitudeanddiversity.Itwasmany-sidedandcomplex,andreflectedbothromanticallyandrealisticallythegreatchangesthatweregoingoninpeople’slifeandthought.Inthisperiod,thenovelbecamenaturallythemostpopularformofalltheliteraryart,andwhatwriterswereconcernedwithwasthefateofcommonpeople.VictorianLiteratureChronologicallytheVictorianperiodroughlycoincideswiththereignofQueenVictoriaoverEnglandfrom1836to1901.Inliterature,theearlyVictorianagecanbesaidtobetheageofcriticalrealism.Thecriticalrealismofthe19thcenturyflourishedinthefortiesandintheearlyfifties.Puritanmoralityoftheearlyand

midVictorianperiodwasreflectedinthenovels.InVictoriannovelsthesociety’seffectsonindividualareanalyzed.VictorianLiteratureLiteratureproducedduringthisperiodreflectsthe“spiritofthetimes”:Expansionofnewspapersandperiodicalsledtoongoingdebatesaboutcurrentpoliticalandsocialissues.Victorianliterature(especiallynovels)offeredarealistic,day-to-dayportrayalofsociallifeandrepresentedtheseissuesinthestoriesofthecharacters.Suddenly,theonce-silentfemalesegmentofsocietyraisedtheirvoices.Theycouldevenappearonstage,actingindramas(aprivilegedeniedtothempriortothistime).FeaturesofVictoriannovels

Inthisperiod,thenovelbecamethemostwidelyread&themostvital&challengingexpressionofprogressivethought.Whilestickingtotheprincipleoffaithfulrepresentationofthe18th-centuryrealistnovel,novelistsinthisperiodcarriedtheirdutyforwardtothecriticismofthesociety&thedefenseofthemass.Althoughwritingfromdifferentpointsofview&withdifferenttechniques,theysharedonethingincommon,thatis,theywereallconcernedaboutthefateofthecommonpeople.Theywereangryattheinhumansocialinstitutions,thedecayingsocialmoralityasrepresentedbythemoney-worship&Utilitarianism&thewidespreadmisery,poverty&injustice.Theirtruthfuldepictionofpeople'slife&bitter&strongcriticismofthesocietyhaddonemuchinawakeningthepublicconsciousnesstothesocialproblems&intheactualimprovementofthesociety.Victorianliterature,ingeneral,truthfullyrepresentsthereality&spiritoftheage.Thehigh-spiritedvitality,thedown-to-earthearnestness,thegood-naturedhumor&unboundedimaginationareallunprecedented.Inalmosteverygenreitpavedthewayforthecomingcentury,whereitsspirits,values&experimentsaretowitnesstheirbumperharvest.FeaturesofVictoriannovels

ThecriticalrealisticideasamongVictoriannovelistsWhilestickingtotheprincipleoffaithfulrepresentationoftheeighteenth-centuryrealistnovel,thecriticalrealisticnovelistscarriedtheirdutyforwardtothecriticismofthesocietyandthedefenseofthemass.Theywereallconcernedaboutthefateofthecommonpeople.Theywereangryabouttheinhumansocialinstitutions,thedecayingsocialmoralityasrepresentedbythemoney-worshipandUtilitarianism,andthewidespreadmisery,povertyandinjustice.Whatiscriticalrealism?

Criticalrealismisthemaintrendoftheliterarythoughtsinthe19thcentury.Itrevealsthecorruptinginfluenceoftheruleofmoneyuponhumannature.Criticalrealistsfirstandforemostsetthemselvesthetaskofcriticizingcapitalistsocietyfromademocraticviewpointofbourgeoisiereality.Themajorcontributionmadebythe19thcenturycriticalrealistslieintheirperfectionofthenovels.Theymadeuseoftheformofnovelforfullanddetailedrepresentationsofsocialandpoliticalevents,andthefateofindividualsandofwholesocialclasses.

LiteraryCurrent:TheCriticalRealismDefinition:Englishcriticalrealism.CriticalrealismwasthemaincurrentinEnglishnovelinthemiddleofthe19thecentury,anagewhichwitnessedagreatdevelopmentincapitalistindustryandcommerceinEngland.Replacingthefeudalaristocracy,thebourgeoisiehadassumedrulingpower.Theworkingpeoplelivedinpovertyandmisery,andtheconflictbetweenlaborandcapitalbecamethefundamentalclasscontradictioninsociety.

WhatarethemaincharacteristicsoftheEnglishcriticalrealism?

Englishcriticalrealismofthe19thcenturyflourishedinthefortiesandintheearlyfifties.ThecriticalrealistsdescribedwithmuchvividnessandartisticskillthechieftraitoftheEnglishsocietyandcriticizedthecapitalistsystemfromademocraticviewpoint.Intheirbestworks,thegreedandhypocrisyoftheupper-classesarecontrastedwiththehonestyandgood-heartednessoftheobscure“simplepeople”ofthelowerclasses.HencehumorandsatireaboundintheEnglishrealisticnovelsofthe19thcentury.However,thecriticalrealistsdidnot,duetotheirworldoutlook,couldnot,findawaytoeradicatesocialevils.

LiteraryForms2.SocialcriticisminproseThomasCarlyleJohnRuskinMatthewArnold3.EnglishPoetry

4.TheappearanceofWorkingClassLiterature1.Perfectionofthenovela.thegreatestrealistofthetimewasCharlesDickensb.WilliamMakepeaceThackerayc.CharlotteBronteandElizabethGaskelld.GeorgeEliotThemainwritersinVictorianPeriodNovelists:CharlesDickens（查尔斯.狄更斯）TheBronteSisters（勃朗特三姐妹）AlfredTennyson（阿尔弗雷德.丁尼生）RobertBrowning（罗伯特.布朗