Utopian Novels in Victorian England

Three comments on the possibility and desirability of Utopia

Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism, British
Cover of the book Utopian Novels in Victorian England by Silke Bosch, GRIN Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Silke Bosch ISBN: 9783640490837
Publisher: GRIN Publishing Publication: December 10, 2009
Imprint: GRIN Publishing Language: English
Author: Silke Bosch
ISBN: 9783640490837
Publisher: GRIN Publishing
Publication: December 10, 2009
Imprint: GRIN Publishing
Language: English

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,7, University of Potsdam (Anglistik/Amerikanistik), course: Victorian Novels, language: English, abstract: The aim of this paper is to compare three of the most influential Utopian novels of the Victorian era in Great Britain: William Morris´ News from Nowhere, Samuel Butler´s Erewhon and Edward Bulwer-Lytton´s The Coming Race. ... I will concentrate on a specific aspect which struck me as most interesting. The question I want to pose is in how far the works are still hopeful and positive and how far they are already disillusioned and negative. Do they consider the idea of a utopian and perfect society to be desirable and possible? I found that Morris' News from Nowhere is still a classic Utopia as it depicts a hopeful prospect of an ideal state of society, but it also introduces a new notion. A utopian society is not something out of human reach, but can be realised entirely. Morris' basis was Marx' theory and he really believed in the possibility of a truly communist and happy nation. Butler's work Erewhon should be rather called a satire, as it is mostly a criticism of Victorian society. But still, it uses the frame of a Utopian fiction and therefor also comments on it. From Erewhon can be concluded that mankind is not capable of true improvement and that a perfect system is intolerant and oppressive. Lytton's work The Coming Race is a mixture of criticism, offering answers and for the most part a discussion of the perfectibility of men and the desirability of perfection, coming to the conclusion that perfection and the desire for it is rather a threat to mankind.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1,7, University of Potsdam (Anglistik/Amerikanistik), course: Victorian Novels, language: English, abstract: The aim of this paper is to compare three of the most influential Utopian novels of the Victorian era in Great Britain: William Morris´ News from Nowhere, Samuel Butler´s Erewhon and Edward Bulwer-Lytton´s The Coming Race. ... I will concentrate on a specific aspect which struck me as most interesting. The question I want to pose is in how far the works are still hopeful and positive and how far they are already disillusioned and negative. Do they consider the idea of a utopian and perfect society to be desirable and possible? I found that Morris' News from Nowhere is still a classic Utopia as it depicts a hopeful prospect of an ideal state of society, but it also introduces a new notion. A utopian society is not something out of human reach, but can be realised entirely. Morris' basis was Marx' theory and he really believed in the possibility of a truly communist and happy nation. Butler's work Erewhon should be rather called a satire, as it is mostly a criticism of Victorian society. But still, it uses the frame of a Utopian fiction and therefor also comments on it. From Erewhon can be concluded that mankind is not capable of true improvement and that a perfect system is intolerant and oppressive. Lytton's work The Coming Race is a mixture of criticism, offering answers and for the most part a discussion of the perfectibility of men and the desirability of perfection, coming to the conclusion that perfection and the desire for it is rather a threat to mankind.

More books from GRIN Publishing

Cover of the book Home and Family Life in Victorian England by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book The Elizabethan World Picture by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book Michael Porter's Competitive Advantage Theory: Focus Strategy for SMEs by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book Time and the Other in the Imperialist Discourse of Kipling and Conrad by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book Managerial Incentives and Corporate Governance by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book Iago´s Iniquitous Cajolery of the Suspicious Othello by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book The ERASMUS Programme of the European Union as Promoter of Tolerance Comparing Latvia to France and Switzerland by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book An Introduction to Mass Surveillance and International Law by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book Análisis del personaje de Calírroe en 'Quéreas y Calírroe de Caritón' de Caritón de Afrodisias by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book The impact of cohabitation on women and children by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book International Branding - An Internationalization Approach on the Marketing Level by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book The use of Audio Aids in the EFL class at the tertiary level - a plus or a minus? by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book A discussion on the article 'Generalised improvement in speech production for subject with reproduction conduction aphasia' by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book Evolution - fact or just one of many theories? by Silke Bosch
Cover of the book Review of the movie 'Lantana' by Silke Bosch
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy