The Cambridge Companion to the Victorian Novel

In the Victorian period, the British novel reached a wide readership and played a major role in the shaping of national and individual identity. As we come to understand the ways the novel contributed to public opinion on religion, gender, sexuality and race, we continue to be entertained and enlightened by the works of Dickens, George Eliot, Thackeray, Trollope and many others. This second edition of the Companion to the Victorian Novel has been updated fully, taking account of new research and critical methodologies. There are four new chapters and the others have been thoroughly updated, as has the guide to further reading. Designed to appeal to students, teachers and readers, these essays reflect the latest approaches to reading and understanding Victorian fiction.

Chronology; Introduction Deirdre David; 1. The Victorian novel and its readers Kate Flint; 2. The business of Victorian publishing Simon Eliot; 3. A history of criticism of the Victorian novel James Eli Adams; 4. Victorian realism Caroline Levine; 5. Intellectual debate in the Victorian novel: religion and science John Kucich; 6. Race and the Victorian novel Patrick Brantlinger; 7. Social class and the Victorian novel Joseph W. Childers; 8. When gender meets sexuality in the Victorian novel Nancy Armstrong; 9. Victorian feelings Rachel Ablow; 10. Sensation and the fantastic in the Victorian novel Lyn Pykett; 11. The transatlantic novel in the nineteenth century Clare Pettitt; Guide to further reading; Index.

This second edition has been updated fully, taking account of new research and critical methodologies, and includes four brand new chapters. Designed to appeal to students, teachers and readers, these essays reflect the very latest approaches to reading and understanding Victorian fiction.

Deirdre David is Professor Emerita of English at Temple University.