3. Lesson 6

4. The Reading Module

Read the text: English literature in the second half of the 19^th century

The second half of the 19^th century witnessed a rapid growth of social contradictions which were caused by a deep economic crisis. Artists, poets, novelists, musicians and the intellectuals hated this heartless world, which disturbed the development of the human personality.

The crisis was reflected in literature by the appearance of the two trends-progressive and regressive.

The representatives of the progressive trend were George Eliot, George Meredith, Samuel Butler and Thomas Hardy. These novelists showed in their books a realistic picture of contemporary society.

Other writers couldn’t find a way out of severe reality. Some of them were influenced by all kinds of philosophical ideas; others put forward their own theories. Rudyard Kipling was influenced by the philosophy of the “right of the strong”, Robert Louis Stevenson and Joseph Conrad offered escape from unattractiveness of everyday life into a romantic adventure world.

The writers of the regressive trend by way of protest of severe reality tried to lead the reader away from life into the world of dreams and beauty. At the end of the century this reactionary theory found the expression in decadence. The decadent trend in literature first appeared in France at the end of the 19^th century. The French word “decadence” means “decline” (of art or of literature).

The decadent writers rejected realism in art. They created their own cult of beauty and proclaimed the theory of “pure art”. Their motto was “art for art’s sake”. The supporters of the theory were representatives of aestheticism. The aestheticists who belonged to this trend came to the wrong conclusion that art should not reflect reality but only give pleasure. They considered the beautiful form to be more important than the contents, the essence of the work of art. They denied the educational value of art and literature. In their opinion art was isolated from life.

Aestheticists rejected both the social and moral function of art. One of the leaders of the aesthetic movement put forward the thesis: “Art is indifferent to what is moral and what is immoral.”

Aestheticists tried to lead the reader away from the problems of the day.

One of the best-known English aestheticists was Oscar Wilde who is regarded as the leader of the English aesthetic movement.

Another writer who appeared in the literary scene I the 19^th century was Lewis Carroll.

He gave his reader the most brilliant mixture: the greatest nonsense stories ever written, intellectual games with logic and words, riddles, puns, unanswered questions, private jokes on English society of the time.

Lewis Carroll plays with reality language and logic in ways that are both comic and frightening.

His most popular works are “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, “Alice through the Looking Glass” and “The Hunting of the Snark”.

Robert Louis Stevenson first won fame with the publication of a novel entitled “Treasure Island”. It was immediately popular with the public. “Treasure Island” was followed by the historical novels “The Black Arrow”, “Kidnapped”, “The Master of Ballantrae”. Robert Louis Stevenson is generally referred to as a neo-romanticist. Neo-romanticism was a trend in literature which came into being at the end of the 19^th century. The writers of this trend turned to the past or described exotic travels and adventures. Stevenson was attracted to the romance of adventure and freedom of risky undertakings in lonely seas and exotic countries. In his novels Stevenson told his readers about life full of novelty, about high passions and thrilling sensations. He was a gifted and original writer. Stevenson considered art superior to life for art could create a new and better reality.

Oscar Wilde earned the reputation of being the leader of the “aesthetic movement” and an apostle of beauty. Though Oscar Wilde rejects realism, in some of his tales (“The Happy Prince”, “The Selfish Giant”, “The Devoted Friend”, “The nightingale and the Rose”) he introduces social motives.

Oscar Wilde won the fame as a dramatist. The most significant of his comedies are: “Lady Windermere's Fan”, “A Woman of No Importance”, “An Ideal Husband” and “The Importance of Being Earnest”; these sparkling comedies are notable for their brilliant dialogues, witty paradoxes and entertaining plots.

Wilde also wrote poems, essays, reviews, political tracts, and letters on every subject he considered worthy of attention. Oscar Wilde’s greatest merit is his style: laconic, expressive and colourful; it has enriched the English language. Here are some of Oscar Wilde’s paradoxes and witty sayings:

• A moment may ruin a life (“Lady Windermere's Fan”).

• Don’t use big words. They mean so little (“An Ideal Husband”).

• Duty is what one expects from others, it is not what one does oneself (“A Woman of No Importance”).

• Experience is the name every one gives to their mistakes (“Lady Windermere's Fan”).

• In the world there are two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it (“Lady Windermere's Fan”).

• It is always worth while asking a question though it is not always worth while answering one (“An Ideal Husband”).

• Little things are so difficult to do (“An Ideal Husband”).

• Memory is the diary that we all carry about with us (“The Importance of Being Earnest”).

• Nothing is so dangerous as being too modern. One is apt to grow old-fashioned quite suddenly (“An Ideal Husband”).

• Questions are never indiscreet. Answers sometimes are (“An Ideal Husband”).

• Sooner or later we have all to pay for what we do (“An Ideal Husband”).

• There is nothing like youth. Youth is the Lord of life (“A Woman of No Importance”).

• What a pity that in life we only get our lessons when they are no use to us (“Lady Windermere's Fan”).

• Youth is the time for success (“An Ideal Husband”).