1) Why is fiction so important during Victorian age? List at least four reasons.
Fiction is so important because reflects Victorian age's social changes. The novel was widely-read so it contributes to form opinions in the reading public. Fiction is a mixing of documentary and romance and it had a real impact on legislators. Finally, fiction is important because provide the reader with a portrayal of reality.
2) Who was the ideal reading public of the Victorian novel?
The ideal reading public was middle class, in particular, lower middle class.
3) Why were novels published in installments?
The novel became a popular kind of literature diffused at large in middle class. The novel's success goaded the printers in speculating on literature. The novels were printed in installment turning literature in profit.
4) What are the main contents of Victorian novel?
The main contents of Victorian novel were: the contrast between social classes, middle class family life, children ill-treatment and the effects of industrialism on the society.
5) With references to the Industrial Revolution process explain why class was one of the most important topics in the novel.
The Industrial Revolution determined a social rift: on the one hand created wealth in the capitalist and on the other hand generated poverty in the working class. The urban drift caused the growth of town and the inadequacy of social services came to surface so the lower class wanted to improve its condition. Class became one of the most important topics because the relationship between classes was a real problem during Victorian age. They criticize society because they wanted to make the reader reflect on his contemporary.
6) Illustrate the most important stylistic choices in Dickens fiction.
Dickens chooses the third person intrusive omniscient narrator. The narrator knows everything about the story and he involves the reader : he refers directly to the reader.
Dickens combines realism and parody in order to criticize society indirectly. Parody is given by exaggeration and hyperbolic language; they create a tragic -comic effect through which the reader reflects on social problems but he enjoy too.
7) Explain what the pathos is and how it works
Pathos is a technique used to affect the reader. The sense of pathos is conveyed by persecuted people that are victims of social system.
8) The grotesque is one of the main ingredients of Victoria fiction. Explain what it is and how it works.
The grotesque is one of the most important techniques used to describe characters. It contributes to make the comic tone because the writer uses humorous strategies to create peculiar characters.
9) Explain how philanthropy worked as an alibi for people
Philanthropy is a charitable attitude used by middle class as an alibi because rich people donated money to poor people in order to reduce is guilt. They were guilty because they were the promoters of Industrialization that created poverty in the low social class.
10) Explain why the Victorian novel played a fundamental role on legislators and opinion-formers.
The Victorian novel played a fundamental role on legislators and opinion formers because writing novel became a kind of industry itself. During the Victorian age reading was something popular as a consequence of that in the middle class the public's opinion was able to influence the stylistic and theme choices of the novelists.
11) Characterization in Victorian fiction is one of the features intelligent reader cannot forget. Discuss.
Victorian fiction's characterization are unforgettable because the reader cannot identify himself with the characters but they remain in the reader's mind, anyway. The characterization is a mix of grotesque and realism: the result is a comic portrayal of human being. So the reader starts a reflection on human condition and mankind's limitations
12) Explain the role of caricature.
The caricature has a very important role because it depicts the character using exaggeration to convey a comic or a grotesque effect. During Victorian period the caricature began a filter: the reader did not recognize himself in the character and he felt a sense of superiority over the human subject of the fiction.
13) Say why Victorian novel mainly reproduces the contradiction of the middle class.
14) Try to say what in contemporary culture is very much similar to the Victorian production in the world of the media.
The link between the Victorian novel and contemporary culture is the technique of subliminal language. In Victorian age the subliminal was used to make people reflects ; now it is used to catch or to provoke people.
Therefore the television serials has the same role that fiction had in Victorian age because both are in installments becoming the centre of discussion and speculation.
15) Facts is a key word in Dickens production. Discuss
Facts is a key word in Dickens production because they are the consequence of Utilitarianism : the predominant philosophy during Victorian age. Emotions, imagination and fantasy were removed because actions and appearance were the important values of Victorian age.