Victorian Literature

[phoenixtears]

The Victorian era has produced some of the finest novelists of all time. Those who immediately come to mind are Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson, Lewis Caroll, H G Wells, Thomas Hardy and of course there are many more. Having a particular interest in Victorian Literature, I've read a few works by Dickens(and he became a favourite of mine).His 'Great Expectations' and 'David Copperfield' are among the finest works of that era.
So which book according to you is the greatest product of the Victorian age?

[Alexander III]

I would say the english produced a strong output in the victorian era but the true genius of that age was to be found in France - 20th century lit has little to do with Dickens, Hardy, Wells, Browning and Tennyson - it begins with Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Flaubert, Huyssmans, Mallarme , Verlaine

[Charles Darnay]

There was a time when I was absolutely obsessed with Victorian novels. And while I still love Dickens, and "A Tale of Two Cities" is still up there on my "hypothetical-constantly-changing-list-of-best-novels" - the Victorian novels and I have fallen out.

That being said, Victorian poetry is still as good as ever.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Robert Browning
Christina Rossetti
William Morris
Tennyson
....

[Charles Darnay]

I would say the english produced a strong output in the victorian era but the true genius of that age was to be found in France - 20th century lit has little to do with Dickens, Hardy, Wells, Browning and Tennyson - it begins with Baudelaire, Rimbaud, Flaubert, Huyssmans, Mallarme , Verlaine

While I agree with this, Iwould argue that both Wells and Elizabeth Barrett Browning have noticeable lasting impacts on 20th century lit.

[mal4mac]

... I've read a few works by Dickens(and he became a favourite of mine).His 'Great Expectations' and 'David Copperfield' are among the finest works of that era.
So which book according to you is the greatest product of the Victorian age?

I agree with you about Dickens. I can't really pick one out as "the greatest". I recently finished reading all of his novels, or at least the ones on my list, sixteen in all (!) He's remarkably consistent. I worried that Barnaby Rudge and Our Mutual Friend might not be up to the standards of the ones you mention, but I think they are at least as good.

It's ridiculous to say that 20th century lit had nothing to do with Dickens, Hardy, et. al. But the frenchmen were also important...

[Lokasenna]

No love as yet for Wilkie Collins? Shame, as I rather like his novels.

Also, he may only have produced one novel, but we can't forget Oscar Wilde.

I really love William Morris, but most of the stuff I like him for is really hard to acquire these days - the modern presses seem to focus on his socialism and political writings, to the extent that we forget that he was also the inventor of the modern fantasy novel.

[mal4mac]

I also like R.L. Stevenson - Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde and Other Tales is a good collection in Oxford World Classics that I read recently.

La Bête humaine by Émile Zola is an exciting shocker.

Gotta read Wilkie Collins!

[OrphanPip]

Elizabeth Gaskell isn't too bad either.
Arthur Conan Doyle if you like the occasional Sherlock Holmes novel. (I find them campy and fun at times).

Just in terms of lasting impact the most important Victorian novel is probably either Jane Eyre or Great Expectations. Maybe Far From the Madding Crowd is a contender too.

[Charles Darnay]

I agree with you about Dickens. I can't really pick one out as "the greatest". I recently finished reading all of his novels, or at least the ones on my list, sixteen in all (!) He's remarkably consistent. I worried that Barnaby Rudge and Our Mutual Friend might not be up to the standards of the ones you mention, but I think they are at least as good.

Barnaby Rudge is one of my favourites when it comes to Dickens. Our Mutual Friend was also pretty good.

No love as yet for Wilkie Collins? Shame, as I rather like his novels.

Also, he may only have produced one novel, but we can't forget Oscar Wilde.

I really love William Morris, but most of the stuff I like him for is really hard to acquire these days - the modern presses seem to focus on his socialism and political writings, to the extent that we forget that he was also the inventor of the modern fantasy novel.

"Moonstone" is a great novel. I couldn't really get into "Woman in White".

I forgot about Dorian Gray....but I don't really consider that Victorian, even if it technically is. It is much more in line with the French literature of the fin de siecle.

Morris' poetry (particularly "Defense of Guinevere" is great (and fairly accessible)

[Featchy]

Without doubt, David Copperfield. Quite simply it is one of the best novels ever written. Everything that's good and great about Dickens is in this book, and its admirers form a long queue; from Tolstoy and Dostoevsky (both irrepressible fans of Dickens) to Henry James and Virginia Woolf (who were not so fond of his other works).

[Veho]

Victorian literature is my favourite. Some particular favourites are Jane Eyre, Tess and Far from the Madding Crowd, Dorian Gray, Middlemarch, North and South and Henry James's shorter works. But I've still got plenty more authors and works to discover which is great. Anthony Trollope and Wilkie Collins are on my to-read list amongst others. However, I'm not so sure about Dickens - I've only read Great Expectation and wasn't all that impressed. Perhaps I will try David Copperfield next.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Victorian literature is my favourite. Some particular favourites are Jane Eyre, Tess and Far from the Madding Crowd, Dorian Gray, Middlemarch, North and South and Henry James's shorter works. But I've still got plenty more authors and works to discover which is great. Anthony Trollope and Wilkie Collins are on my to-read list amongst others. However, I'm not so sure about Dickens - I've only read Great Expectation and wasn't all that impressed. Perhaps I will try David Copperfield next.

Yes I've never been that much of a fan of Dickens but the comment above persuaded me to zip it to my kindle. I'm on chapter 3 at present. I'm also just finishing off News from Nowhere by William Morris. This was a book I meant to read for a utopian module but never got around to it, so I'm reading it now. New Grub Street by George Gissing is another one I'm eyeing. I'm also enjoying H. G. Wells.

[mal4mac]

I've only read Great Expectation and wasn't all that impressed. Perhaps I will try David Copperfield next.

I'm tempted to re-read that one first... maybe we should start a reading group!

[mal4mac]

Without doubt, David Copperfield. Quite simply it is one of the best novels ever written. Everything that's good and great about Dickens is in this book, and its admirers form a long queue; from Tolstoy and Dostoevsky (both irrepressible fans of Dickens) to Henry James and Virginia Woolf (who were not so fond of his other works).

That shows the limitations of James and Woolf...

[Veho]

Yes I've never been that much of a fan of Dickens but the comment above persuaded me to zip it to my kindle. I'm on chapter 3 at present.

Are you liking it so far?

I'm tempted to re-read that one first... maybe we should start a reading group!

That's an idea. I've got to finish Anna Karenina first though!