Edited by Steven Oliver, Sunday 18 January 2026 at 22:17
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...
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.
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)
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)
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' 😃)
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
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 😀
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! 😀
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 She rose upon a wind of prophecy Dilating on the future; "everywhere Two heads in council, two beside the hearth, Two in the tangled business of the world, Two in the liberal offices of life, Two plummets dropt for one to sound the abyss Of science, and the secrets of the mind: Musician, painter, sculptor, critic, more: And everywhere the broad and bounteous Earth Should bear a double growth of those rare souls, Poets, whose thoughts enrich the blood of the world."
Dinah Maria Mulock ('Mrs Craik') - John Halifax, Gentleman
A225 in fiction and narrative poetry
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...
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)
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)
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)
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' 😃)
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
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 😀
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! 😀
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
She rose upon a wind of prophecy
Dilating on the future; "everywhere
Two heads in council, two beside the hearth,
Two in the tangled business of the world,
Two in the liberal offices of life,
Two plummets dropt for one to sound the abyss
Of science, and the secrets of the mind:
Musician, painter, sculptor, critic, more:
And everywhere the broad and bounteous Earth
Should bear a double growth of those rare souls,
Poets, whose thoughts enrich the blood of the world."
Dinah Maria Mulock ('Mrs Craik') - John Halifax, Gentleman
Published: 1856
Period covered:
A225 links: [Work in Progress]