Content introduction

Analysis of unique features of Bildungsroman genre in British literature

Novels that follow a protagonist from a troubled childhood along their path to enlightenment and maturity are enjoyed by a wide range of audiences. Coming of age is a universally relatable theme—and its own literary genre, too.
A Bildungsroman is a literary term describing a formative novel about a protagonist’s psychological and moral growth from their youth into adulthood. Bildungsroman novels are generally written in the first-person and often feature the name of the protagonist directly in the title, such as Emma, Jane Eyre, and David Copperfield.
The Bildungsroman literary genre originated in Germany. The German word “bildung” means education” and the German word “roman” means “novel.” Thus, “Bildungsroman” translates to “a novel of education” or “a novel of formation.”
Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship by Johann Wolfgang Goethe (1795-96), about a man who lives an empty life as a businessman and embarks on a journey of self-realization to find happiness, is widely considered the first published Bildungsroman novel. It grew in popularity in Britain after it was translated into English in 1824.
The actual term “Bildungsroman” was first coined by philologist Karl Morgenstern during his lectures at the University of Dorpat in 1819. It was born out of criticism he received from Friedrich Wolf, a former teacher who was disappointed in how his career unfolded. Wolf believed the more Morgenstern wrote about art and philosophy, the more boring and vain he became. This criticism of his intellectual journey inspired Morgenstern to invent the term “Bildungsroman.” Psychologist and philosopher Wilhelm Dilthey reprised it in his work Leben Schleiermachers (1867-1870) and popularized the story structure for a wider audience.
A Bildungsroman centers on the main character’s transformation to reach maturity. Here’s how the plot generally unfolds:

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  Loss: The protagonist experiences a profound emotional loss at the beginning of the story, typically during their childhood or adolescent formative years.
  
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  Journey: Inspired by their loss, the protagonist sets out on a journey, either physical or metaphorical, to find the answer to a big question and gain life experience that will help them better understand the world.
  
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