19th Century Literature

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What happened in the West during the 19th century was pretty much what you'd expect from a society whose religious and philosophical foundations had been shaken to the root after centuries of overt Christian influence. There were basically three possible responses: to reject Christianity and accept the new humanism wholesale; to try to maintain a balance between the two; or, to maintain complete allegiance to the Christian faith and defend it against the growing number of anti-Christian ideas.

Unfortunately, those in the latter group often reverted to a simple anti-intellectualism that, far from upholding a solid Christian worldview, undermined the faith to which they so desperately clung. Those who didn't go to that extreme often went to another—in their attempt to remain intellectually relevant, many Christian writers and thinkers began to embrace the increasingly unchristian ideas surfacing, and try to collate them with orthodox doctrine. It was a confusing time, and the lines of Christian culture and secular culture began to blur in increasingly bizarre ways.

For one thing, theologians began to adopt the view that science and faith were separate realms, and that each had its own realm of authority on which the other could not infringe. Charles Darwin's theory of general evolution was obviously instrumental in fostering this idea, but other forward strides in practical science like the mechanization of the Industrial Revolution, improvements in medical knowledge, and a growing sense that only what could be observed was "real" were just as influential.

It all went back to Progress, really. The Enlightenment ideal of man's interminable forward movement through the centuries meant that things were getting better, and with things demonstrably getting better it was hard for many to argue. Because many of the philosophical ideas that accompanied scientific progress were rooted in humanism rather than Christianity, people assumed the two were incompatible to some degree, and to be reconciled they had to be separated.

Not everyone was happily devoted to Progress, however. One of the 19th century's dominant literary movements was devoted to the opposite. Romanticism was as much a child of the Enlightenment as scientism, but instead of going forward they grasped Rousseau's idea that man is at his best when at his most natural, and went backward. Or tried—praising nature, deriding civilization and technology, and pursuing free love is easier evoked in poetry than practiced in real life, as its leaders soon discovered. Still, men like Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Samuel Taylor Coleridge left behind some of the greatest verse ever written.

The Victorians were certainly influenced by Romanticism and the Enlightenment, but they were a little more balanced. Writers like Charles Dickens (possibly the greatest novelist of all time) and William Makepeace Thackeray combined Christian themes, satire, social activism and a heightened aesthetic sense to simultaneously comment on and delight the culture at large. In many ways the novel came into its own during this period, though some of its best practitioners were still 50-100 years in the future.

In the New World a particularly American version of Romanticism took hold. Transcendentalism as espoused by Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, and Henry David Thoreau was less organized than its Continental counterpart. It was also less rooted in Western tradition, at least, in the Classical Western tradition; the Transcendentalists preferred biblical symbolism, particularly the Old Testament with its often unsettling and apocalyptic imagery.

No era can claim a single literary or intellectual trajectory, but each phase in human history has its own zeitgeist, the spirit of the age. For the 19th century it was the final shift of authority away from any Divine source and onto the shoulders of man. There were great Christian writers who tried to stem the tide (Robert Browning, R. L. Dabney, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, and Charles Ryrie come readily to mind), but secular man was having his heyday and mostly prevailed in the public sphere.

Without the 19th century we wouldn't have most of the fiction genres we enjoy now. Mystery and detective fiction, science fiction, fantasy, escapist adventure novels, realistic historical fiction, etc., all came into being between the beginning of the French Republic and the founding of Major League Baseball. Whatever your opinion of the ideas rampant in these works, these are some of the best philosophical treatises, novels, poems, short stories, and essays history has to offer.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.

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	Adventures and Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Conan Doyle from Penguin Classics for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $11.20
	Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, illustrated by Sidney Paget 100th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $8.76
	Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass Penguin Classics by Lewis Carroll from Penguin Classics Fantasy for 5th-8th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $11.00
	Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass Macmillan Classics by Lewis Carroll, illustrated by John Tenniel from Macmillan Fantasy for 7th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $18.00 (1 in stock)
	Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll from Bantam Books for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Black Arrow Dover Evergreen Classics by Robert Louis Stevenson from Dover Publications Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $6.99
	Black Arrow by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by N. C. Wyeth from SeaWolf Press Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $8.95
	Captains Courageous Signet Classics by Rudyard Kipling from Signet Classics Nautical Fiction for 7th-10th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.95
	Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling from Living Book Press Nautical Fiction for 7th-10th grade in Realistic Fiction (Location: FIC-REA) $8.99
	Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Arthur Rackham from Gramercy Books for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens from Bantam Books for 6th-10th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $3.95
	Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by P.J. Lynch Unabridged from Candlewick Press Fantasy for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $19.99
	Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Robert Ingpen Unabridged from Palazzo Editions Limited Fantasy for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $24.99
	Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Roberto Innocenti Unabridged from Creative Editions Fantasy for 6th-10th grade in Fantasy Fiction (Location: FIC-FAN) $35.00
	Complete Fairy Tales Penguin Classics by George MacDonald from Penguin Classics Fairy Tales, Fables, and Folklore for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $17.00
	Emma Penguin Classics by Jane Austen from Penguin Classics Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $9.00 $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Emma Everyman's Library by Jane Austen from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $26.00
	Emma by Jane Austen, Illustrated by Hugh Thomson 200th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $12.99
	Emma by Jane Austen, illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat with an inroduction by Deirdre Le Faye from The Folio Society Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $75.00 (1 in stock)
	Frankenstein Everyman's Library by Mary Shelley from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Horror for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $22.00
	Frankenstein Dover Thrift Editions by Mary Shelley from Dover Publications for 7th-10th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $6.00
	Great Expectations (abridged) Puffin Classics by Charles Dickens from Puffin Books Realistic Fiction for 7th-10th grade in Puffin Classics (Location: FIC-PUF) $7.99
	Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle from Dover Publications for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.00
	Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, Illustrated by Sidney Paget 100th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press for 7th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $6.36
	Idylls of the King And a Selection of Poems by Alfred Tennyson from Penguin Classics Epic Poetry for 8th-Adult in Poetry (Location: POET-GEN) $17.00
	Invisible Man by H. G. Wells, with an introduction by W. Warren Wagar and an afterword by Scott Westerfeld from Signet Classics Science Fiction for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.95
	Invisible Man by H. G. Wells, illustrated by Louis Strimpl from SeaWolf Press Science Fiction for 7th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $7.95
	Jane Austen Hardcover Collection Everyman's Library by Jane Austen from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $156.80
	Jane Austen Softcover Collection Penguin Classics by Jane Austen from Penguin Putnam Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $48.80
	Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, Illustrated by F. H. Townsend from SeaWolf Press Realistic Romantic Fiction for 8th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $13.99
	Jungle Books Signet Classics by Rudyard Kipling from Signet Classics Animal Stories for 4th-8th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.95
	Kidnapped Being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751 Scribner Illustrated Classics by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by N. C. Wyeth from Atheneum Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV) $14.50 (1 in stock)
	Lady Susan, The Watsons and Sanditon Penguin Classics by Jane Austen from Penguin Classics Realistic fiction for 8th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $11.00 $6.00 (2 in stock)
	Life of Our Lord Written for His Children During the Years 1846 to 1849 by Charles Dickens from Simon and Schuster for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $16.00
	Mansfield Park Penguin Classics by Jane Austen from Penguin Classics Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $9.00
	Mansfield Park Everyman's Library by Jane Austen from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $30.00
	Mansfield Park by Jane Austen, Illustrated by Hugh Thomson 200th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $12.95
	Mansfield Park Vintage Classics by Jane Austen from Vintage Books Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $7.00 (1 in stock)
	Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, Illustrated by Sidney Paget 100th Anniversary Edition from SeaWolf Press for 7th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $7.96
	Middlemarch by George Eliot from Signet Classics Realistic Fiction for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $9.99
	Northanger Abbey Penguin Classics by Jane Austen from Penguin Classics Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $8.00
	Northanger Abbey Everyman's Library by Jane Austen from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $28.00
	Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen, illustrated by Hugh Thomson 200th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $8.95
	Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens from Oxford University Realistic Fiction for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $6.95
	Persuasion Penguin Classics by Jane Austen from Penguin Classics Realistic Romantic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $7.00
	Persuasion Everyman's Library by Jane Austen from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $26.00
	Persuasion by Jane Austen, Illustrated by Hugh Thomson 200th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press Realistic Romantic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $8.95
	Phantastes by George MacDonald from Eerdmans for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $18.99
	Pride and Prejudice Penguin Classics by Jane Austen from Penguin Classics Realistic Romantic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $9.00
	Pride and Prejudice Everyman's Library by Jane Austen from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $28.00
	Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen from Bantam Books for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Illustrated by Hugh Thomson 200th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press Realistic Romantic Fiction for 8th-12th grade in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $11.95
	Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat with an inroduction by Deirdre Le Faye from The Folio Society Romantic Realistic Fiction for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $95.00 (1 in stock)
	Prisoner of Zenda Penguin Classics by Anthony Hope 1^st edition from Oxford University Adventure/Political Satire for 8th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $9.95
	Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, Illustrated by Sidney Paget 1905 Illustrated from SeaWolf Press for 8th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $8.76
	Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen from Dover Publications for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $6.00
	Shropshire Lad by A. E. Housman, illustrated by Charles Mozley from Franklin Watts for 7th-12th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Shropshire Lad The Living Library by A. E. Housman, Illustrated by Jeanne Edwards from World Publishing Company for 7th-12th grade in Vintage Poetry (Location: VIN-POET) $5.00 (1 in stock)
	Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1892 Illustrated from SeaWolf Press Mystery for 8th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $5.56
	Silas Marner Signet Classics by George Eliot from Signet Classics Realistic Fiction for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.95
	Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Revised from Penguin Classics Mystery/Suspense for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $9.00
	Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and other tales Signet Classics by Robert Louis Stevenson from Oxford University Mystery/Suspense for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $7.95
	Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Signet Classics by Robert Louis Stevenson from Signet Classics Mystery/Suspense for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.95
	Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Illustrated by George Hutchinson 1891 Illustrated from SeaWolf Press Mystery for 8th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $5.99
	Study in Scarlet & The Sign of Four Dover Thrift Editions by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle from Dover Publications Mystery for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.00 $2.40 (1 in stock)
	Tale of Two Cities Dover Thrift Editions by Charles Dickens from Dover Publications Victorian Novel for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $7.00 $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Time Machine by H. G. Wells from Dover Publications for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $2.00 (1 in stock)
	Time Machine by H. G. Wells from Signet Classics Science Fiction/Dystopian Literature for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.95
	Treasure Island by Sir Robert Louis Stevenson from Bantam Books for 6th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.95
	White Company by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle from Dover Publications Historical Fiction for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $10.36
	White Company by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Illustrated by N. C. Wyeth 100th Anniversary from SeaWolf Press Historical Fiction for 8th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $10.36 $5.20 (1 in stock)

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