4a. Introduction

19th Century Novels

As you can see from the dictionary definition screenshot above, the word novel has been used since the early 16th century. However, as a literary art form, it wasn't as popular as theatre or poetry until the end of the 18th century and it really took off in the 19th century. In this part of the quest, you will learn about different terms that we use to discuss novels and gain an overview of the most notable works of the Victorian Age. This term, you will also read one 19th century novel of choice in a book club setting.

Terminology

Overview of 19th Century Classic Novels (UK edition curated by Mrs W)

In class, we'll do an activity in which you learn about these works. Highlighted in bold are the books that the school library has multiple copies of, so these would be the easiest for you to choose for your book club. The other works on the list are also permitted, of course, although you will have to purchase your own copies.