Modern Age Literature: Victorianism to Edwardian Era
The Coming of the Modern Age
Queen Victoria’s reign ended in 1901, but the Victorian Age effectively ended about twenty years earlier. The spirit of Victorianism began to fade with figures like Swinburne, the rebel; Fitzgerald, the pessimist; and Butler, the satirist. Literature produced from 1880 to 1914 is characterized by either an attempt to find substitutes for religion, or by a sense of spiritual emptiness and hopelessness.
Many substitutes for religion were explored. One was Art, with Walter Pater as its prophet. “Art for Art’s sake” was the theme of books like Marius the Epicurean. The focus was on cultivating pleasure and experiencing beauty. In essence, it advocated hedonism as a way of life.
The Nineties
Hedonism was central to some of Oscar Wilde’s essays and his novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Wilde seems to explore the dangers of excess. This work foreshadows his later, more serious works written after his imprisonment, such as The Ballad of Reading Gaol and De Profundis.
George Bernard Shaw:
- A desire to shock, alienate, and unsettle the audience.
- The Quintessence of Ibsenism.
- A social reformer and a supporter of Education.
- Plays and The New Drama.
Edwardian Literature
Colonial Literature and Modernism
Joseph Conrad brought a new quality to the novel. Born in Ukraine, Conrad’s love for the sea led him to a British merchant ship, a Master’s certificate, and mastery of English. He produced his first novel at forty, often writing about the sea, Eastern islands, and the English character in exotic or challenging situations.
Conrad’s finest book is perhaps Lord Jim, which presents moral conflict through the character of a young Englishman who loses his honor. A good introduction to Conrad is the short story Youth. Other novels include Typhoon, The Nigger of the Narcissus, Nostromo, The Secret Agent, and Heart of Darkness.
Rudyard Kipling was the great singer of Empire. Born in India, Kipling understood the British Empire from the inside. His concern with Empire is expressed in many forms. While his reputation among intellectuals is mixed, he captures a phase in English history. He evokes the East, the sun, palm trees, and the nostalgia of repatriated Englishmen. As a prose writer, Kipling is known for Kim and many excellent short stories, as well as the school classic, Stalky & Co.