Important Literary Features of Victorian Age:

Ø  Individualism

Ø  The conflict between Science and Religion

Ø  Materialistic Society

Ø  Industrialization

Ø  Pessimism

Ø  Obscurity

Ø  Colonialism

Ø  Cosmopolitan and insularism view

Ø  Doubt

Ø  Reform in Politics

Ø  Darwin’s Evolution Theory

Real Gentleman in Great Expectations

Though Pip is the main character of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, truly he is not the representative of a real gentleman of the Victorian age. Pip's brother in law Joe deserves the title of real gentleman. By studying ‘Great Expectations' novel it is vividly clear that Joe handles all kinds of problems for his family. Pip's sister is prolific towards him but Joe has a soft corner for Pip. We see in this novel Pip and Joe work together in their forgery at a certain period of time. Joe is always manageable with every kind of problem of their day to day life. We also see in this novel that Joe is always careful about Pip's betterment even in the ending part of the novel. He always feels good wishes for Pip. Joe does not have any daydream. He is an ordinary labor type people but his adaptation towards any mundane complexity heals the readers' mind stunningly. At the very beginning part of this novel we see Pip acts like an ordinary boy but later he lives like an arrogant member of Victorian society. Throughout the novel, Joe shines like a simple village man though we call him a trustworthy, super manageable character in every situation. So, it is clear that Joe is the real gentleman of Great Expectations.

Quick and Fix Prominent Writer of Victorian Age

1.       Alfred Tennyson(1809-92)

Ø  Poems(1833)

Ø  In Memoriam(1850)

Ø  Maud and other Poems(1855)

2.       Robert Browning(1812-89)

Ø  Dramatic Lyrics(1842)

Ø  Men and Women(1855)

Ø  Dramatis Personae(1864)

3.       Matthew Arnold (1822-88)

Ø  Essays in Criticism(1888)

Ø  Culture and Anarchy(1867) and some poems

4.       Charles Dickens(1812-70)

Ø  The Pickwick Papers(1836)

Ø  Oliver Twist(1837)

Ø  David Coperfield(1850)

Ø  A Tale of Two Cities(1859)

Ø  Great Expectations(1861)

5.       Thomas Hardy(1840-1928)

Ø  The Return of the Native(1878)

Ø  Tess of the D’Urbervilles(1891)

6.       Karl Marx(1818-83)

Ø  Das Capital(1867)

7.       Charles Robert Darwin(1809-82)

Ø  The Origin of Species(1859)

Ø  The Descent of Man(1871)

Historical Summary of Victorian Age

    1. Three Reformation acts were passed in this period. The years are 1832, 1867, 1884.
2.       Child labor restricted due to the Chimney Sweeps Act in 1840 and the Factory Act in 1833.
3.       Darwin's theory of evolution and the influence of Communism created a great impact on conventional life.
4.       Improvement of Railway, Ships increases the trade and commerce and therefore enriches the people’s life
5.       This period developed the women’s traditional life.
6.       Slaves got freedom in 1833.
7.       Domination of science is the result of industrial revolution and this revolution changes the agricultural based rural society.

Definition of Victorian Literature

The Victorian literature (1832-1901) is comprised of mainly poetic and after that novel. This literary age produces many writers but makes famous some of them. The Victorian age deals with scientific inventions’ consequences especially industrial revolution’s effects in society’s various levels, religious freedom and Victorian compromise that means science and religion should go side by side though there are conflicts between science and religion.