Introduction

The social, political, and economic environments of a time period significantly influence the literature and the art of the time. During the Victorian Age, the volatile political scene and socioeconomic pressures boiled over and brought on a lot of changes, including the emergence of a strong, educated middle class. Nineteenth-century writers responded by focusing on the middle class as their audience of choice, and on a variety of social, domestic, and moral themes.

For this exercise, you will read about the Victorian Age, the novel style of this time, and an excerpt from Wuthering Heights. Then you will make observations about this excerpt and about whether its characteristics are typical of the Victorian novel.

Destination Titles

English Literature
(http://www.answers.com/topic/english-literature)
Nineteenth-Century Novel
(http://www.nvcc.edu/home/ataormina/novels/history/19thcent.htm)
Wuthering Heights
(http://www.literature.org/authors/bronte-emily/wuthering-heights/)

Directions

Start with “English Literature,” scroll down to the Victorian Age and read this selection. Then go to “Nineteenth-Century Novel” and read about The Victorian Novel. Finally, go to Wuthering Heights and select and read a chapter.

1.	Once you have finished reading these selections, write about whether the characteristics of Wuthering Heights make it a typical Victorian novel.