I've set myself the challenge of accompanying my A225 studies of the 'The British Isles and the modern world, 1789–1914' with a year of 19th century reading. I'm going to try and keep roughly to the chronology of the module and also make sure that I'm exploring the geographical spread of the course (so some Irish, Scots, ?Welsh reading). I'd started just thinking about novels, but have been persuaded that the period also featured a lot of narrative poetry, so this will also get a look in.
So here goes - probably aiming to stop somewhere around HG Wells, but that feels a long way away right now...
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William Wordsworth - The Prelude Published: 1850 (after Wordsworth's death), but the version I read wasn't published until 1926. This was the manuscript of his 1805 revision of the 1799 original. Period covered: 1770s to 1805 A225 links: The text includes the 'Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive' section, exploring Wordsworth's experience of the French Revolution. By 1805 he had revised his original optimism, but I spared myself too much conservative retrenchment by avoiding the 1850 text. There are sections describing Wordsworth being under surveillance as a 'radical' in the Revolutionary period that link to OU examination of links between the Romantic movement and more radical politics. Another A225 connection is in the idealisation of childhood - something that underpinned some responses to child labour in the industrial revolution. Stars: ⭐⭐ (quite heavy going) |
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Walter Scott - The Antiquary Published: 1816 Period covered: Summer 1794 A225 links: In one sense the whole idea of a historical novel and Scott's role in the Romantic movement is a solid A225 connection. There are definitely links to the ideas of identity formation (and the false narratives of 'invented' tradition in the Antiquary's theories. There is a section on the patriotic formation of the militia in response to an empty threat of invasion (with an English officer coming to lead them). Stars: ⭐⭐⭐ (wordy, but lighter and more humorous than I'd anticipated) |
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Jane Austen - Persuasion Published: 1817 (after Austen's death) Period covered: 1814 A225 links: The meaning of aristocracy and the role of gentry (and military) in early 19th century society explored in this, as in every, Austen novel. Nature of naval lives - particularly outside of conflict - features. The naval activity often makes reference to the Caribbean - so some interesting links to the A225 content on the Atlantic world and the importance of naval dominance in enabling trade and domestic wealth. Stars: ⭐⭐⭐(a re-read, not my favourite - but good bitchy humour) |
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Charlotte Brontë - Shirley Published: 1849 Period covered: 1811-12 A225 links: Radical politics, 'Luddites', patriotic conservatism, 'working class' identities are all present. There are also some interesting aspects of illness behaviour and health included (Shirley's fear of rabies was a surprise) Stars: ⭐⭐⭐(not as off the scale as Jane Eyre, but still fabulously heightened - quite a queer book, hard not to read some Anne Lister into Shirley....until she is 'mastered' 😃) |
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John Banim ('Barnes O'Hara') - The Nowlans Published: 1826 Period covered: c1820s A225 links: Sectarian divide in Ireland, some referral back to 1798 uprising, several references to the 'Peelers' - the 'paramilitary' force set up ahead of police force in Britain, long discussion regarding need for education and public schools in Ireland. Stars: ⭐almost unreadable in parts, melodramatic and ridiculous plot twists. Some interestingly 'modern' aspects with mental anguish over forsaken vows of celibacy |
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George Eliot - Felix Holt, the Radical Published: 1866 Period covered: 1832 A225 links: Excellent description of changing society over time in the opening section, embedded in an imaginary coach ride. There is little political theorising - Eliot seems to hope for a conservative 'amelioration' of problems, there's certainly little appetite expressed for 'radicalism'. Sections on the chaotic scenes surrounding the election were interesting - and highlight how different the process of voting was in a public forum. Important to note the book was published around time of the second Reform act, looking back on the first. There's a sense of persisting middle-class (novel writer/reader class) anxiety about further extension of the franchise. (There's an interesting sounding bit of writing by Eliot 'Address to Working Men, by Felix Holt' that's aimed directly at these new voters - worth hunting down perhaps) Stars: ⭐⭐ Felix is such a 'serious' character that he does seem to suck the life out of much of the book - I wasn't expecting quite so much 'mystery' and felt this was laid on a bit thick in parts. Not Middlemarch 😀 |
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Benjamin Disraeli - Sybil or The Two Nations Published: 1845 Period covered: late 1830's and 1840s A225 links: Disraeli obviously enjoys satirising the salons and shenanigans behind the Whig/Tory politics and there is a strong sense of how personal and aristocratic parliamentary government was. Chartism is central to the 'plot' and the 'poor' are shown sympathy, even if they feel pulled directly form press reports and 'Blue Books'. Disraeli's (bizarre) solution to the divided 'Two Nations'; ??young, reformed aristocratic leadership and reinvigorated feudalism?? is the real heart of the novel - definitely (unfounded) confidence and crisis rolled into one! Stars: ⭐ Hard work with barely a single credible character, except the narrator! 😀 |
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Alfred Tennyson - The Princess: a Medley Published: 1847 A225 links: Education, and specifically further education for women, isn't touched on much in the module - so any links are tenuous. The narrative section has plenty of 'chivalry' and 'medievalism' alongside the provocative ideas of female power and independence, evidence of some of the 'anti-modern' cultural responses of the time which are highlighted. Stars: ⭐⭐ Odd and interesting, rather than deeply engaging - but with occasional moments - couldn’t resist quoting this speech from one of the female scholar leaders on her view of the future (still some work to do!) At last |
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Dinah Maria Mulock ('Mrs Craik') - John Halifax, Gentleman Published: 1856 Period covered: 1790s-1834 A225 links: There were so many, perhaps the strongest was the central theme of a man rising into the middle class - becoming 'Gentleman'. There are: corrupt elections, Catholic emancipation, vaccination (successful), steam power, food riots, fear of the French, emancipation, the Atlantic World (love-torn son flourishes in the New World)... The other inescapable theme is a domestic Christianity that seems to deliberately avoid an overly 'Anglican' perspective, with Quakers and Catholics featuring quite favourably. Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ an unanticipated pleasure, once I'd got over the omnipresent asexual crippled narrator!! Felt like it existed wholly in a Victorian sensibility - couldn't have been written/read before or after. (First time I've really felt this reading idea might be a good one 😂) |
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Elizabeth Gaskell - Cranford Published: 1853 Period covered: early 1840s A225 links: First and foremost, female middle class life! The chapters also touched on the expansion of the railways (and their danger), banking collapses and their social consequences and ideas of empire and the orient. Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ a complete pleasure. I loved the gentle humour and the brilliantly captured characters. Just the right length and hardly put a step wrong in tone. Definitely my favourite read in quite a while. |