From the mid-nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century, literature reflected a broad range of ideas and values which dramatically represented the time period it was composed in. While not altogether simple to define, the Victorian era of literature is described to have roughly spanned from 1830-1900 which transitioned into the Modernist era of literature which lasted up until around 1965. While the two periods were temporally aligned, they reflected vastly contradicting views which were ultimately as a result of the world events going on during those eras.
The Victorian era of literature, distinguished by famous writers such as Charles Dickens and Emily Bronte, among many others, was highly influenced by the industrial revolution taking place in Europe. With such progress and development came the ever widening gap between the “haves” and “have nots”. Writers took the opportunity to discuss the growing inequality and to speak out against the social injustices. For such reasons, the Victorian era of literature is defined as one that spoke to the people as it encouraged society toward a better future. Yet ironically, as Victorian literature exposed economic disparities, permeating across novels and poetry alike, was the running theme of the domesticity of the home which provided comfort and good cheer, even as gender subordination and domestic violence rippled through society.
