Victorian era historical fiction was a mirror of the society's values and anxieties. The emphasis on propriety and respectability was a common theme. In 'The Picture of Dorian Gray', Wilde explored the hidden vices beneath the veneer of Victorian respectability. The family structure was also a big part of it. Many stories had a focus on family relationships, inheritance, and the impact of family reputation on individuals, as seen in various Dickens novels.
These love stories also showed the role of women in society. Women in Victorian love stories were usually expected to be demure and proper. Their love was often influenced by the need to find a suitable husband for financial and social stability. For instance, in many novels, a woman's marriage was seen as a way to secure her family's future or her own social standing. This was clearly seen in the way female characters made decisions regarding love.
Famous Victorian novels reflected the society of the time in various ways. For example, in 'Oliver Twist', Dickens showed the harshness of the workhouse system and the extreme poverty that many faced. The class differences were also evident, like in 'Great Expectations' where Pip's journey from a poor boy to a gentleman - in - training exposed the rigid class structure.
The stories reflected the value of propriety. People were expected to act in a certain way, and any deviation in sexual matters was frowned upon. So, in Victorian sex stories, characters were often shown either conforming to these standards or facing the negative consequences of not doing so. This was a way to reinforce the values of the society at that time.
Well, the Victorian novel's social character was a mirror of the society. It showed the values of the time, such as the importance of family and propriety. Novels would depict how characters adhered to or deviated from these values. Also, they often explored the impact of industrialization on different social classes. The new working class in factories was a common theme, and how they coped with the changing social and economic environment was shown through the social characters in the novels.
Victorian lesbian romance novels often reflected the repressive nature of the society. They had to be very cautious in their portrayal as homosexuality was not accepted. So, the relationships were sometimes masked as deep friendships.
The economic aspects were reflected too. Marriages were often seen as economic arrangements. In the context of 'Romance of Lust', a character's lust might be intertwined with the idea of marrying into wealth or a better social position. So, lust was not just a matter of personal desire but also related to the economic and social survival and advancement within the Victorian social structure.
Victorian wife discipline stories were a mirror of the society's values at that time. The society placed great importance on propriety and respectability. Wives were seen as the keepers of the home's moral tone. So, in these stories, when a wife deviated from the expected norms, whether it was in her speech, actions, or associations, the husband's discipline was a way to bring her back in line with what society deemed appropriate. It also showed the lack of agency women had in a legal and social sense compared to men. They were often at the mercy of their husbands' decisions regarding discipline, which was just an extension of the overall gender inequality in Victorian society.
Classic Victorian romance novels were like a mirror of the society. The class differences were a big part of it. In 'North and South', the divide between the industrial north and the genteel south was a major factor in the relationship between the main characters. The Victorian era was also a time of moral values, and these were portrayed in the novels. Love was often intertwined with ideas of duty and respectability, as can be seen in many of the classic Victorian romance novels.
It reflected through the portrayal of classes. For example, in Dickens' works, we can see the clear divide between the rich and the poor. The rich often had luxurious lifestyles while the poor struggled in slums.
18th - century historical fiction often showed the class differences. For example, in 'Tom Jones', the different behaviors and opportunities of the upper and lower classes were depicted. It also reflected the political climate. Novels might touch on the power struggles and ideas like democracy emerging at that time. And the role of women was a common theme, as in 'Evelina' where we can see the limited options and strict social norms for women in 18th - century society.