The 18th
century is a period known as the Age of Revolutions. In fact two of the most important revolutions broke
out: The French Revolution, which brought new ideas and beliefs; and the Industrial
Revolution, which transformed Britain’s social structure.
All these
changes had their effect on the development of the novel: novelists preferred
to avoid or tie to the way of the world fiction, and preferred to concentrate
on the linear history of one or more characters and issues. The two most
important British novelists are Jane Austen and Walter Scott, who can be
considered as polar opposites, but they actually depicted in different ways the
same society in which they lived.
Walter Scott
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish writer and poet and one of the greatest
historical novelists. He was born in 1771, in Edinburgh. An early illness left
him lame in the right leg, however he had great physical endurance. He attended
Edinburgh High School and studied arts and law at Edinburgh University.
In the
1810s Scott published several novels. : Waverley, Rob Roy a portrait of one of
Scotland's greatest heroes and Ivanhoe
set during the reign of Richard I is perhaps the best known of Scott's
novels today. He died in 1832.
He
preferred setting his novels in the past, in fact he is considered the greatest
historical novelist. By describing the past, however Scott creates parallels
with the world of his own time, criticizing or celebrating its aspects.
IVANHOE:
Cedric, a noble Saxon, wanted his ward, Rowena to marry Athelstane, a
descendent of Alfred the Great, in order
to strengthen the Saxson’s power, but Rowena was in love with Ivanhoe, Cedric’s
son, who loved her back. To obstruct their love, Cedric decides to disinherit
Ivanhoe, who runs away and joins the third crusade with Richard the Lionheart.
During the battle the king’s brother, John, takes his throne, so when the king returns
Ivanhoe helps him to regain his throne, Athlestane, renounces Rowena’s hand, so Ivanhoe and Rowena can get
married.
Jane Austen
Jane Austen
was born in the village of Steventon in England in 1775 and led a quiet life. She was mainly educated by
her father and, in 1805, when her father died, the inheritance went to her
brother, who provided her, her sister and her mother a small cottage. In this
period she published Sense and
sensibility and Pride and prejudice,
which she had begun writing in the previous years.
SENSE AND
SENSIBILITY: It can be considered an autobiographical
novel, in fact it tells the story of two sisters: Elinor and Marienne, whose
father dies and all the inheritance is taken by their brother who didn’t want
to help them economically. So they move in a small village with their mother
and here they fall in love. Elinor falls in love with Edward Ferrars, who’s
already engaged to a girl called Lucy, who then leaves him for his richer
brother. Edward finally free proposes to Elinor, who accepts. Marienne,
instead, falls in love with John Willoughby, but then she discovers that he was
already engaged to a rich woman, so she falls in despair. At the end,
overcoming her despair, she decides to marry Colonel Brandon, a really gentle
and kind man.
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE:
it tells the story of a woman who aimed to marry her daughters to rich
men. The main character of the novel is Elizabeth, who’s insulted by Mr. Darcy,
who she considers a unpleasant and rude man, in contrast Mr. Wickham,
considered a nice and kind man. Elisabeth accuses Mr. Darcy of having
mistreated Mr. Wickham, but she discovers, in a long letter written by him that
he had mistreated Mr. Wickham because he had eloped with his sister.
Elisabeth quickly discovers that she had
had prejudices on them both: in fact her sister, Lydia, elopes with Mr Wickham,
but they can’t get married because of his depts; Mr Darcy decides to help him
and pay his debts, and when Elisabeth finds out, she discovers that Mr Darcy
actually was a kind and gentle man, and when he finally proposes, she
accepts. Jane, Elisabeth’s younger
sister, falls in love with Charles Bingley, who initially escapes, and
Elisabeth accuses Mr. Darcy, but then he comes back and they can finally get
married.
