English literature at the end of the 19

English literature at the end of the 19^th and the beginning ofthe 20^th century

PLAN:

1. 
   General Background.
   
2. 
   The Edwardian period.
   
3. 
   The writers of the Aesthetic period
   

By 1880 England had become the first modern industrial empire. Its large, urban manufacturing centers produced goods that went by rail and then by steamship to consumers all over the world. British investments and energy were expanding and served for the defense of the Empire.

Queen Victoria lived until January 1901. Her son, Edward VII, was nearly sixty years old when he was crowned, and reigned only nine years. These nine years in the history of England are called the Edwardian period. Despite the brevity of the Edwardian period, it saw the development of a national conscience that expressed itself in important social legislation (including the first old-age pensions). It laid the groundwork for the English welfare state.

On the other hand, the second half of the 19^th century in England gave rise to a rapid growth of social contradictions. Those contradictions found their reflection in literature, too. It was reflected in literature by the appearance of different trends. A great number of writers continued the realistic traditions of their predecessors. It was represented by such writers as George Meredith, Samuel Butler, Thomas Hardy. The novelists gave a truthful picture of the contemporary society.

The writers of another trend, by way of protest against se­vere reality, tried to lead the reader away from life into the world of dreams and fantasy, into the realm of beauty. They idealized the patriarchal way of life and criticized the existing society chiefly for its anti-aesthetism. Russian literary critics called them deca­dents. (English and American literary critics call them the writers belonging to the Aesthetic trend). The decadent art, or the art belonging to the aesthetic trend appreciated the outer form of art more than the content.

Though the decadent writers saw the vices of the surrounding world, and in some of their works we find a truthful and critical description of contemporary life; on the whole their inner world lacks depth. They were firm in their opinion that it was impossible to better the world. They conveyed the idea that everyone must strive for his own private happiness, avoid suffering and enjoy life at all costs. The decadent writers created their own cult of beauty and proclaimed the theory of "pure art"; their motto was "art for art's sake". (Oscar Wilde /partially/, John Ruskin).

Besides, the end of the 19^lh century also created writers who were interested in human society as a whole (B.Shaw, J.Galsworthy), and a new type of a writer who was preoccupied with the future of mankind (Herbert Wells).