FROM VICTORIAN SOCIETY TO LITERARY REALISM: THE EVOLUTION OF CRITICAL REALISM IN ENGLISH LITERATURE

Victorian literature is defined by the period of time in which it was written, not a central philosophy or style. However, a lot of Victorian literature does have particular themes or showcases similar forms and styles. This was caused by changing trends in thinking and taste. Following the Romantic period, writers of the Victorian age turned away from the abstract expressionism of the former period and focused on realism, with an attention towards social issues and the sciences. Both poetry and fictional prose were popular throughout the Victorian Age, producing some of the greatest writers in English. And during this time, the novel became the leading literary genre in English. A lot of prominent writers became aware of the social injustices around them and tried to depict them in their works. Thus this period was mirrored in literature by the appearance of a new trend, the Critical Realism. Victorian writers used the novel as a means to protest against the evils in contemporary social and economic life and to picture the world in a realistic way. Their greatness also lies in their profound humanism. Their sympathy lies with the ordinary people. They believed in the good qualities of the human heart. The novel’s ubiquity today can be traced back to its popularity in Victorian England; the greatest Victorian novelists are remembered for their overall artistry and their social observations and critiques.