Question

1. In this course, you studied literary works from the romantic period, the Victorian Era, and the modern ear. Describe the common themes from each era. Then explain the main elements of the historical context that contributed to the themes in each era.

Answer 1

In general, the most common theme that ran through these eras was a sense of excitement about the future, especially in the world or arts. People were becoming autonomous.

Answer 2

Romantic:

During the Romantic period, authors began to concentrate on the more "romantic" aspects of the world. Authors wrote about the emotional, the superstitious, the fictional and the beautiful. It also rejected modernity and emphasized the beauty of the natural world.

The elements of the historical context that contributed to this movement are mostly the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution. Both of these movements concentrated on rationality and efficiency, while celebrating technology and the progress of humanity, all topics that were rejected by the Romantics.

Victorian:

Victorian literature often reflected the changes that had taken place during the Industrial Revolution. Victorian literature criticized the rules of society, such as those of social class and social hierarchies. It also talked about the people that the Industrial Revolution had left behind. Therefore, it was a literature that emphasized social problems such as child abuse, exploitation of workers and poverty.

The element of the historical context that most contributed to this movement was the Industrial Revolution.

Modern:

The modern period rescued the hope in progress that had been common during the Enlightenment. However, it attempted to recreate it in a way that reflected the new reality of the world. After WWI, society was profoundly shocked, and they believed that the world had been completely transformed. Therefore, modern authors wanted to create the "new." They explored topics that had never been explored before, and wrote in ways that had never been seen.

The element of the historical context that most contributed to this movement was the First World War.