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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9th grade (Ages 14-15)

	Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain from Penguin Classics for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $9.00
	Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain from Nelson Doubleday, Inc. for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Oxford World's Classics by Mark Twain, edited with an introduction and notes by Emory Elliott 2008 Reissue from Oxford University for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Adventures of Tom Sawyer Dover Thrift Editions by Mark Twain from Dover Publications for 6th-10th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain Limited Edition from Franklin Library Realistic Fiction for 8th-Adult in Leather Bound Collectible Books (Location: VIN-LEA)
	Adventures of Tom Sawyer Reader's Digest World's Best Reading by Mark Twain, illustrated by Paul Geiger from Reader's Digest for 7th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Adventures of Tom Sawyer Puffin Classics by Mark Twain from Penguin Classics Realistic Fiction for 6th-10th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $10.00
	Ben-Hur Reader's Digest World's Best Reading by Lew Wallace from Reader's Digest for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Ben-Hur Dover Thrift Editions by Lew Wallace from Dover Publications for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $7.00
	Ben-Hur A Tale of the Christ Signet Classics by Lew Wallace from Signet Classics Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $9.95
	Ben-Hur A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace from Heritage Press Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Ben-Hur by Lew Wallace from Harper & Brothers for 9th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Ben-Hur Dover Thrift Editions by Lew Wallace from HarperCollins for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $16.99
	Deerslayer The First War Path Leatherstocking Tales #1 by James Fenimore Cooper from Penguin Classics for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $16.00
	House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne from International Collectors Library for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne from Houghton Mifflin for 9th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	In His Steps by Charles Monroe Sheldon from Hendrickson Publishers for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.50 (1 in stock)
	Inheritance Penguin Classics by Louisa May Alcott from Penguin Classics Realistic Romantic Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $15.00
	Innocents Abroad Signet Classics by Mark Twain from Signet Classics Travel books/Social Commentary for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $7.95
	Innocents Abroad Reader's Digest World's Best Reading by Mark Twain from Reader's Digest for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Joan of Arc by Mark Twain from Ignatius Press Biography for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $18.95 $12.00 (1 in stock)
	Last of the Mohicans Reader's Digest World's Best Reading by James Fenimore Cooper from Reader's Digest Realistic Action/Adventure Novel for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Last of the Mohicans A Narrative of 1757 Leatherstocking Tales #2 by James Fenimore Cooper Reprint from Penguin Classics for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $13.00
	Last of the Mohicans Leatherstocking Tales #2 by James Fenimore Cooper Reprint from Signet Classics Realistic Action/Adventure Novel for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $6.95
	Last of the Mohicans Leatherstocking Tales #2 by James Fenimore Cooper, illustrated by Edward A. Wilson from Heritage Press Realistic Action/Adventure Novel for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Last of the Mohicans Leatherstocking Tales #2 by James Fenimore Cooper, illustrated by N.C. Wyeth from Charles Scribner's Sons Realistic Action/Adventure Novel for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $16.00 (1 in stock)
	Last of the Mohicans Leatherstocking Tales #2 by James Fenimore Cooper from Charles Scribner's Sons Realistic Action/Adventure Novel for 9th-Adult in Scribner Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SCRIB) $24.99
	Last of the Mohicans Leatherstocking Tales #2 by James Fenimore Cooper, Illustrated by N. C. Wyeth from SeaWolf Press Realistic Action/Adventure Novel for 9th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $11.95
	Last of the Mohicans Leatherstocking Tales #2 by James Fenimore Cooper from Charles Scribner's Sons Realistic Action/Adventure Novel for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Last of the Mohicans A Narrative of 1757 Leatherstocking Tales #2 by James Fenimore Cooper from Dover Publications for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Last of the Mohicans Leatherstocking Tales #2 by James Fenimore Cooper, illustrated by James Daugherty Realistic Action/Adventure Novel for 9th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Last of the Mohicans Leatherstocking Tales #2 by James Fenimore Cooper, introduction by A.B. Guthrie, Jr. Reprint from Bantam Books Realistic Action/Adventure Novel for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Life on the Mississippi Signet Classics by Mark Twain from Signet Classics Autobiography for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.95
	Life on the Mississippi Reader's Digest World's Best Reading by Mark Twain from Reader's Digest for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Little Men Reader's Digest World's Best Reading by Louisa May Alcott from Reader's Digest for 4th-9th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Little Women by Lousia May Alcott from Penguin Putnam Realistic Romantic Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $10.00 $6.00 (4 in stock)
	Long Fatal Love Chase by Louisa May Alcott First Thus from Dell Publishing for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $7.99
	Moby-Dick Signet Classics by Herman Melville from Signet Classics Realistic Nautical Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.95
	Moby-Dick Everyman's Library by Herman Melville from Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Realistic Nautical Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $32.00
	Moby-Dick Reader's Digest World's Best Reading by Herman Melville from Reader's Digest Realistic Nautical Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Moby-Dick or, The Whale by Herman Melville from Penguin Putnam Realistic Nautical Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $16.00
	Moby-Dick Macmillan Classics by Herman Melville, illustrated by Robert Shore from Macmillan Realistic Nautical Fiction for 9th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Moby-Dick or, The Whale Calla Editions by Herman Melville from Dover Publications Realistic Nautical Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Moby-Dick or, The Whale by Herman Melville from Franklin Library Realistic Nautical Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Moby-Dick Modern Library by Herman Melville from Modern Library Realistic Nautical Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Moby-Dick or, The Whale by Herman Melville, illustrated by Boardman Robinson from Easton Press Realistic Nautical Fiction for 9th-Adult in Leather Bound Collectible Books (Location: VIN-LEA)
	Omoo by Herman Melville from Dover Publications for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $10.95
	Pathfinder The Inland Sea Leatherstocking Tales #3 by James Fenimore Cooper from Penguin Classics Realistic Fiction for 9th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $15.00
	Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc by Mark Twain from Living Book Press Biography for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $17.99
	Pioneers Leatherstocking Tales #4 by James Fenimore Cooper from Signet Classics Realistic Fiction for 9th-12th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $7.95
	Pioneers The Sources of the Susquehanna; A Descriptive Tale Leatherstocking Tales #4 by James Fenimore Cooper Reprint from Penguin Classics for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $15.00
	Prince and the Pauper Signet Classics by Mark Twain from Signet Classics Historical Fiction for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $5.95
	Prince and the Pauper Portland House Illustrated Classics by Mark Twain, illustrated by Franklin Booth from Portland House Historical Fiction for 5th-9th grade in Action & Adventure Stories (Location: FIC-ADV)
	Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain, illustrated by Frank Merrill from Reader's Digest for 8th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $8.00 (1 in stock)
	Pudd'nhead Wilson Signet Classics by Mark Twain from Signet Classics Mystery for 8th-10th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.95
	Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain from Dover Publications for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.00
	Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain from Penguin Classics for 8th-10th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Ramona by Helen Jackson from Little, Brown & Company for 9th-12th grade in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $14.00 (1 in stock)
	Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane from Bantam Books Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $4.95
	Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane from Penguin Classics for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $10.00
	Red Badge of Courage and An Occurrence at Owl Bridge by Stephen Crane & Ambrose Bierce from SeaWolf Press Historical Fiction for 7th-10th grade in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $7.45
	Roughing It Reader's Digest World's Best Reading by Mark Twain from Reader's Digest for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Roughing It by Mark Twain from Penguin Classics for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Roughing It by Mark Twain from SeaWolf Press for 9th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $15.95
	Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne from Pocket Books Realistic Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $7.99
	Scarlet Letter Dover Thrift Editions by Nathaniel Hawthorne from Dover Publications Realistic Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $6.00
	Scarlet Letter Portland House Illustrated Classics by Nathaniel Hawthorne, illustrated by Hugh Thomson from Portland House for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne from Vintage Books Realistic Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Scarlet Letter Dover Thrift Editions by Nathaniel Hawthorne from Ignatius Press Realistic Fiction for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Spy by James Fenimore Cooper from Heritage Press for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Spy by James Fenimore Cooper from Junior Deluxe Editions for 9th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC)
	The Pilot Great Illustrated Classics by James Fenimore Cooper from Dodd, Mead & Co. for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19)
	Tom Sawyer Abroad by Mark Twain from Grosset & Dunlap for 7th-Adult in Companion Library (Location: VIN-FIC)
	Tom Sawyer Abroad by Mark Twain from SeaWolf Press for 7th-Adult in Seawolf Illustrated Classics (Location: FIC-SW) $6.95
	Tom Sawyer Abroad and Other Stories by Mark Twain from Grosset & Dunlap for 7th-Adult in Vintage Fiction & Literature (Location: VIN-FIC) $4.00 (1 in stock)
	Typee A Peep at Polynesian Life from Modern Library for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $12.95

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