Publisher's Synopsis
The nineteenth century was a time of accelerated change and stark contradictions. It was marked by stability, advancement and reform, but also by widening inequalities, spiritual crisis and social unrest. Identity and gender came under pressure, religious belief was called into question, and the condition of women and children seemed to belie the much-vaunted idea of progress.
Essays in this book explore how these contradictions and concerns are reflected in nineteenth century literature. In discussing historical figures, characters and plots variously vulnerable and/or resilient, essays reflect the breadth of nineteenth century literature, from realist and sensational fiction to autobiography and poetry. Besides providing insights into the transfigurative role writing played, and still plays, both as a means to express vulnerability and as a resilience process, they also foster further reflection on two timeless dimensions of the human condition.
