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A recent Twitter conversation involved trying to convince an inveterate Modernist of the merits of Victorian fiction. A bad experience with Dickens and Thackeray at a formative age had left him firmly anchored in the twentieth century, and he wanted me to suggest one great Victorian novel that would change his mind. That’s undoubtedly one of the trickiest questions I’ve ever been asked. Fiction is, of course, a highly subjective business and it would be very easy to do more harm than good. I’m taking the matter very seriously, you see. I decided to call in the experts in the form of the excellent VICTORIA discussion list, which is inhabited by many fine scholarly brains.
They did not disappoint, and my inbox was soon filled with excellent suggestions. Wilkie Collins was the overwhelming favourite, with five votes for The Woman in White and three for The Moonstone. He certainly seems to be the author of choice for those who don’t really like Victorian novels. There were two votes apiece for She, Dracula and Lady Audley’s Secret. Being a great fan of Mary Elizabeth Braddon, I was very pleased by the inclusion of the latter.
Those with honourable mentions were:
- Great Expectations
- Wuthering Heights
- The Sign of Four
- Green Mansions
- Lark Rise to Candleford
- Father and Son (it’s not Victorian, but we’ll overlook it on the grounds that it’s excellent)
- No Name
- Three Men in a Boat
- Bleak House
- The People of the Mist
- Vilette
I hadn’t heard of Green Mansions and look forward to finding out more about it. Hopefully, the proliferation of e-texts and small publishers will increase the range of novels available to the average reader and expand (or dispsense with) the canon.
My own suggestions were Daniel Deronda, The Mayor of Casterbridge and New Grub Street. To my mind, Gissing is the writer who engages most effectively with the transition from the nineteenth century to modernism. Even the unrepentant Modernist in the study adjoining mine was forced to grudgingly admit that he was “interesting”. George Eliot can’t be beaten for sheer intellectualism and technical brilliance, and can anyone fail to be gripped by the downfall of Michael Henchard in Hardy’s novel?
Obviously, there are no right answers and this is a rather open-ended debate. In the interests of amusement, I have included a poll (see right) in the vain hope of establishing The Greatest Victorian Novel. Obviously, I could include only a small selection of the 60,00 or so that were published.
Now I need to go and see who else I can convert.
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“Can anyone fail to be gripped by the downfall of Michael Henchard?”
Yup, me I’m afraid. I read The Mayor of Casterbridge at school and *loathed* it, and I fear that if it had been left to Hardy I would never have ended up a (wannabe) Victorianist. That said, I haven’t read it since I was 16, so perhaps I would feel differently now.
Jane Eyre all the way for me, though Wuthering Heights and Bleak House are close behind. George Eliot is wonderful, but I’m not sure about her as a “starter” novel. Hmm.
Ah, there’s always one! I think you should re-read ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’ and report back. I’m sure you’re stuck for something to read. It’s interesting that no-one else voted for ‘Jane Eyre’. I think perhaps the Brontes have fallen slightly out of fashion. It was the challenge of ‘Middlemarch’ that made me a Victorianist at a tender age, so it just goes to prove the subjectivity of the form. And ‘Daniel Deronda’ is a much-needed antidote to the rampant anti-semitism of the period.
I was scared of Eliot until I got into my final year of my undergrad and we had to read Middlemarch. I thought she’d be too clever for me. I’m still not entirely sure that she isn’t, but I do so love reading her novels anyway.
I think she works at different levels, which probably partly explains her enduring popularity. As a teenager, I skimmed much of the philosophical ponderings and concentrated on the plot. That was sufficient to make me return in later life when my critical faculties were better developed.
A quick experiment on Facebook revealed a number of Mrs Gaskell fans. No-one on the VICTORIA list suggested her, so perhaps she’s as unfashionable as the Brontes? It has reminded me how much I enjoyed ‘Wives and Daughters’.
bugger. Just typed long list of suggestions and then lost it. The first victorian novel I loved was Wuthering Heights but think it is an acquired taste but I don’t like Jane Eyre at all. I did Mayor of Casterbridge for A level and love it but loads of people in my class felt like Kirsty. Jude the Obscure might be good for a modernist though.
Although I love Mrs Gaskell I think it would confirm too many preconceptions about Victorian fiction. I’ve used Oliver Twist to get people into Victorian period – a few people had been really surprised by it becuase they thought they “knew” it. You could try travel writing, something like Isabella Bird’s Ladies Life in the Rocky Mountains could be interesting although wasn’t my cup of tea.
Ones to consider could be: Confessions of a Thug by Philip Meadows Taylor-Queen Victoria’s favourite novel? Or Origin of the Species? A suprisingly good read I reckon or Trilby by George Du Maurier? (Suspect that might have fallen out of fashion though too).
I have some modernist friends who quite like HG Wells but I loath him so not going to recommend him!
I think Gissing is an excellent suggestion though – New Grub Street would work really well. Or maybe Henry James – The Bostonians? (Although not sure you can really count Henry James as Victorian…)
And her ghost stories!
Thanks for the suggestions, Lara. ‘Jude the Obsure’ is a good one. I think you’re right that people imagine they “know” a novel, even without having read it. I hadn’t heard of ‘Confessions of a Thug’ so will be pursuing that one with interest. Unfortunately, I must confess to having cursed du Maurier all the way through ‘Trilby’ and still occasionally glare at it on the shelf.
Kirsty and I recently discussed H G Wells and what a thoroughly objectionable specimen he was. I know one shouldn’t judge a book by the author, but his repellent ideas also permeate his fiction. Having said that, his work is undeniably interesting and lots of people seem to love him.
The Diary of a Nobody appears to be unaccountably missing …
You’re right. That’s an unforgivable omission. Pooter will be seething with righteous indignation.
Hi! Just wanted to say, I voted for Middlemarch in the poll, but I love all of the nominees – Jane Eyre was my way in to Victorian lit., same as Kirsty, and I think the Mayor of Casterbridge is absolutely brilliant, too. I almost wish I’d voted for that now, because it certainly deserves at least one vote! (And I second you, Catherine – you should read it again, Kirsty, it’s not a book a teenager would appreciate – I avoided it until my late 20s, because I knew so many people who’d had to read it in Year 12 English and hated it!)
Thanks, Caroline. I’m very pleased that we’re now ganging up on Kirsty!
Poor Kirsty!
I also meant to say that I reckon any of the Sherlock Holmes series would also be good intro as well. Sorry that Trilby wasn’t a good experience – I was reading it from interest in mesmerism and found it quite gripping.
Be interested in what you think about Confessions of a Thug – I remember finding it completely surprising when I read it (which was ages ago) and I really enjoyed it.
I agree with Kirsty. Why is it that school turns us off great books. I was force fed Persuasion at 16 and hated it. When I re-read it at 35 it raced into my all time top ten. This is because there was no teacher leaning over my shoulder telling me which bits to “appreciate”. Jane Eyre I read on my own at 14 and have loved it ever since.
With regard to my own recommendations, can I throw two new ones into the ring. Rhoda Broughton, Cometh up as a Flower and Gaskill’s North & South (followed closely by the TV adaptation which was superb)
An interesting debate and so glad to see Wilkie Collins featuring so prominently
Laura Essendine
Author – The Accidental Guru
The Accidental Guru Blog
The Books Limited Blog
Many thanks for your comments, Laura. I’m so pleased you suggested ‘Cometh up as a Flower’. Rhoda Broughton is one of my favourite authors and I think she has been shamefully overlooked. I too was put off ‘Persuasion’ at an early age and ought to perhaps try it again, especially now I’ve hit the apparently magic age of 35!
I’m under seige! OK, I’ve promised that I’ll give Michael H another shot. But I’m blaming all of you lot if I still hate it.
Incidentally, I remembered last night that we had to watch the video of the BBC adapatation of MoC in class, and all I could see was the changing hue of his hair as they put more or less talc in it. The continuity people must have been off sick that day.
Ooh have just found your blog and as a Victorian addict I am going to add this to my blogroll of places to visit.
David Copperfield started me off, Jane Eyre next up and Oliver Twist. I think Middlemarch is the greatest Victorian novel, but wavered slightly last year when for the first time I read Adam Bede and was overwhelmed by it. Ten years ago I discovered Anthony Trollope and as he has written about 60 books and I have only read about 30, have polenty to keep me happy. Barchester Chronicles is wonderful as are the Palliser novels and I could go on and on and on but I will refrain.
Thanks for your message, Elaine. It’s always a pleasure to hear from a Trollope fan. There seem to be quite a few of us in the blogosphere and people are gradually realising what a great writer he was. I think John Major did him a lot of harm back in the ’90s. The thought of him and Norma fighting over one of the Barchester Chronicles on their wedding night really doesn’t bear contemplation. My apologies for mentioning it.
‘Middlemarch’ is certainly the clear poll favourite at the moment, and deservedly so. I’m suprised no-one has plumped for either of the Wilkie Collins novels, but it’s still relatively early days.
I’m now off to take a good look at your blog…
I have to say that John Major liking Trollope certainly made me feel more warmly towards him. Then I saw him in a box at Covent garden one night enjoying the opera and I liked him some more. Then the day he left No 10 after losing his Premiership, what did he do? Went to the Oval to watch the cricket. Good to know tht people have their priorities right. As a lover of Trollope, Opera and Cricket I have liked him ever since!!
You say you are off to have a look at my blog – well, going through a spot of non serious reading at the moment. Cannot seem to get going but as I have joined the Victorian Challenge I have Tenant of wildfell Hall lined up ready to go when I can get 2009 reading really going..
Yes, JM certainly became more endearing after he left office (we’ll overlook the Edwina incident), and it’s refreshing to encounter a genuinely cultural PM, rather than one who just invites pop stars to Downing Street in order to look “cool”. I was also excessively pleased to discover that he kept a “Book of Bastards” during his time in office. How marvellous.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Anne Bronte is seriously underrated and deserves more attention, bless her. I shall be interested to see what you think.
Arrghhh, there are just SO many Vic lit books I want to read right NOW!! Every time I see a suggestion for one I want to read it. Too many books…….
What did you think to Gissing? You mention New Grub Street which is something that I have never been interested in until last week when I discovered he was from Wakefield which is where I am from. Now I want to read him.
Hello Boof. Yes, there are far too many books, and not enough time in which to read them. Estimates suggest there were around 60,000 novels published during the nineteenth century, so we’ll have to get a wiggle on if we’re going to read them all!
I’m a great admirer of Gissing. Even my partner, who is an inveterate Modernist, thinks he’s good, which is praise indeed. He does incline towards the depressing, but “New Grub Street” and “The Odd Women” are late-Victorian masterpieces. There’s a bookshop in Bradford that specialises in Gissing, so do pay them a visit if you’re back in your hometown – http://idlebooksellers.co.uk/
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