2021/6/16 1Chapter 5 The Victorian Period 2021/6/16 2 Background InformationChanges in SocietyChanges in Politics Changes in Science&Technology Changes in Ideology 2021/6/16 3 Changes in Politics Political power passed from the decaying aristocrats into the hands of the middle-class industrial capitalists. As a result, from the 30s of 19th century, the struggle between the workers and capitalists became the fundamental contradiction in England. A new class, the proletariat, emerged. 2021/6/16 4 While England had reached its highest point of development as a world power, the poor living and working conditions of workers led to the Chartist Movement (憲章運功), which was the first mass movement of the English working class and the early sign of the awakening of t h e p o o r, o p p r e s s e d p e o p l e . 2021/6/16 5 Changes in Science and Technology Scientific discoveries and technological inventions made England the “workshop of the world”. (railway, steamship, spinning looms, printing machine, etc)With Industrial Revolution in full swing, England accumulated large amounts of profit and settled down to a time of prosperity and relative stability. 2021/6/16 6 The middle-class life of the time was characterized by prosperity, respectability（體面）, and material progress.People as a whole celebrated a national spirit of earnestness（認真）, respectability, modesty and domesticity.Common sense and moral propriety（得體） became the predominant concern in literary works. 2021/6/16 7 Changes in Ideology Religious collision The widespread of Utilitarianism(功利主義) 2021/6/16 8 Religious collision It started from the early 19th century and was caused by the rapid development of science and technology, new inventions and discoveries. Evolutionary science shook the theoretical basis of the traditional faith. (Darwins The Origin of Species & The Descent of Man) Peoples religious doubts and anxieties were increased. 2021/6/16 9 Utilitarianism The belief that everything should be tested by the extent to which it could promote the material happiness. It was welcomed especially by the middle-class industrialists and made cultural values, moral standards less valuable. the worsening of living condition of poor people 2021/6/16 10 Literary FormsLiterary ExpressionNovel Prose Poetry 2021/6/16 11 Novel The most widely read and the most vital and challenging expression of progressive thought in this period The most famous novelists of the time were the critical realists. (Charles Dickens, William Makepeace Thackeray, Charlotte Bront , Emily Bront , Mrs. Gaskell and Thomas Hardy) 2021/6/16 12 Features of English Critical Realism The critical realists described with much vividness and great artistic skill the chief traits of the English society and criticized the capitalist system. Humorous scenes and bitter satire 2021/6/16 13 The English critical realists not only gave a satirical portrayal of the bourgeoisie and all the ruling class, but also show profound sympathy for the common people.The critical realists were unable to find a good solution to the social contradictions. The chief tendency in their works is not of revolution but of reformism. 2021/6/16 14 Prose Great prose writers:Thomas CarlyleThomas Babington MacaulayMatthew ArnoldJohn Henry NewmanJohn Stuart MillJohn RuskinThomas Henry Huxley 2021/6/16 15 Most influential prose works:Carlyles Sartor Resartus, Chartism & The French RevolutionMacaulays History of EnglandRuskins Modern Painters (5 volumes) 2021/6/16 16 Poetry Famous poets:Robert BrowningAlfred TennysonDante Gabriel RossettiGerald Manley HopkinsAlgernon Charles Swinburne 2021/6/16 17 The poetry of this period was mainly characterized by experiments with new styles and new ways of expression.The most famous experimental poet was Robert Browning. 若有不當之處，請指正，謝謝！