A Time of Great Change

The Victorian Age, what do you know or believe about this time period from 1837 to 1901? Do you believe as most that it is a time of poofy dresses and men in capri pants, dancing through fields laden with spring wildflowers?

I think most of us believe or have a similar view of this time. However, if you look more closely, you might see something different, something more. Read this article and you'll see why I say this. It really opened my eyes to the reality of truth of this very important age.

While most associate this time period with the reign of Queen Victoria, there is so much more that defines this age as uniquely its own. This was a time of increased wealth and productivity. The industrial revolution occurred to boost the economies of Europe and the lives of everyone who lived during this time. Even today, the idea that people can create solutions to their own problems and the problems of others continues. This idea sprang from this era.

Romantic elements continued on into the modern period we enjoy today along with emphasis on emotions and imagination. However, this age incorporated doubt and self-examination; literature especially mixed these ideas in the shadow of this re-evaluation of self and societal beliefs. There was a struggle between the fantasy of romanticism and modern realism.

Personally, I see this era as a bridge between the ideals of the romantic period and the modern era; what we are today. Change is always a struggle, a fight to evolve and grow as human beings. I don’t think there was more change in any era than this one. One explanation for this could be the extreme diversity between romanticism and the modern era. To make the transition, it would be natural for human beings to experience a huge amount of change and to resist such change. However, it also appears that much of society embrace these changes in light of the promise of improved standards of living.

One last and most important aspects of the Victorian Era, is their emphasis on social issues. Improving one’s life and the lives of others was a major focal point. Where the romantic era focused inward and was mostly concerned with one’s own ambitions, Victorians looked outward and focused on others and their wellbeing.

Next week, we are reading Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, written in 1860. It is part of this great chunk of time called the Victorian Era. To read more about this time, visit The Victorian Web. Enjoy!

Frankenstein is Romantic?

Well, no, Frankenstein’s monster isn’t really Romantic, in my mind at least, but the novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was written in the Romantic Era and reflects the qualities of the writings that define that time period, the most notable, using nature to amplify human emotions, which is truly genius since every human being can relate in some way to nature. It is all around us, so how could we not?

I’d never read Frankenstein. Like others, I’d ever only seen Frankenstein’s monster in movies. I was pleasantly surprised by the enjoyment I found in reading this classic. Naturally, I was expecting a repeat of the movie version. It was a charming and emotionally suspenseful story that I thoroughly enjoyed.  

What impressed me the most about Mary Shelley’s novel, her use of metaphors that expressed emotions via images of nature. You would expect a lot of clichés and overblown displays of emotional tripe, but I found none of this. There was a seamless merging of human emotion and nature throughout her story.

Although I haven’t read about the other two eras we will be studying, Victorian and Modern, I grabbed onto an idea that just wouldn’t let go; it would be my guess that through each era, certain characteristics carry over into the next. I recognized the emotional ploys inherent in the Romantic Era in today’s writings. Most writings today try to connect to their readers through emotion or try to engage a reader through their emotions, still other writings use logic instead, and others use a mix.

Another impressive observation, it is not easy to write emotional metaphors without being cliché these days. Cliché is defined as a saying that has been used so much that it is considered trite or no longer original. Although I’m sure Shelley could have used clichés, I found none. Even though during her time they might not have been considered cliché, today we would have recognized them as such.

Writers in the Romantic Era valued originality. That is something else Shelley excelled at in her novel. This is probably the main reason why I found no clichés in her writing.

To accomplish a wonderful work of art like this novel embodies, even today would be a great accomplishment. To accomplish something even half as great would be a joy for me as a writer. It’s good to have role models, no matter the age, present day or past, Shelley is one I look up to and will try to emulate in my own way.

Next week, we are studying the Victorian age. I look forward to seeing how the writings of this age evolved from the Romantic era. It should be interesting to see if any of the characteristics survive.

Authors we will be reading next include; Alfred Tennyson, Elizabeth Browning, Robert Browning, and Matthew Arnold.

Till next time…Happy Reading!