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The Spirit of Reform: British Literature and Politics, 1832-1867
The Spirit of British Literature and Politics, 1832-1867
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1977
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 1, 2022
Quite a tour-de-force! And I feel I have let myself into quite a select (numerically at least) group of those who have read it cover to cover.
It is quite brilliant at times in showing the parallel developments in politics and literature but does not always seek causal relationships between the two (even with such figures as Disraeli who straddled both worlds). There is room for a follow-up (and this book is now nearly 50 years old) that delves into ways in which politicians influenced writers and vice versa that goes much further than Professor Brantlinger goes in this book.
It is a remarkable work and a valuable resource to any serious student or writer on the social, political and legal impact of Dickens, Garkell, Arnold, Trollope etc.. I hesitatingly suggest that he over-estimates the influence of Matthew Arnold and Anthony Trollope and mis-reads Charles Dickens and therefore under-estimates him.
Adding to the many plusses we have serious discussion on the enormous early impact of Jeremy Bentham and his followers, persuasive debate about the role played by Carlyle in creating a new narrative for historians and an excellent chapter on the impact of Chartism on novelists.
It also made me think further on the impact of Christian Socialism which I’d rather under-valued as laying down the foundations for the socially divisive sports of cricket and rugby union.
I seems to have had the book (By the way a rather lovely and beautifully bound volume from Harvard University Press...a delight to hold and read) open in front of me for weeks now. I’ve finally closed it but will keep it close to hand and refer to it regularly.
Here’s the last couple of sentences as a taster. Brantlinger is talking about Dickens, Mill and Ruskin.
“Much of their greatness and of the literature of reform generally derives from the belief that there is nothing inevitable about injustice, and that people can end it by restructuring their institutions to match their ideals. Their optimism - critical, reform-minded, and based on people rather than machinery - was the finest product of the culture that the Victorians themselves created.”
I don’t agree with absolutely everything in this book (and I’m absolutely sure the author would be appalled if anybody agreed with everything) but I’m full-square behind these statements.
As a final point, the notes, citations and references make this a valuable fingerpost for further reading.
It is quite brilliant at times in showing the parallel developments in politics and literature but does not always seek causal relationships between the two (even with such figures as Disraeli who straddled both worlds). There is room for a follow-up (and this book is now nearly 50 years old) that delves into ways in which politicians influenced writers and vice versa that goes much further than Professor Brantlinger goes in this book.
It is a remarkable work and a valuable resource to any serious student or writer on the social, political and legal impact of Dickens, Garkell, Arnold, Trollope etc.. I hesitatingly suggest that he over-estimates the influence of Matthew Arnold and Anthony Trollope and mis-reads Charles Dickens and therefore under-estimates him.
Adding to the many plusses we have serious discussion on the enormous early impact of Jeremy Bentham and his followers, persuasive debate about the role played by Carlyle in creating a new narrative for historians and an excellent chapter on the impact of Chartism on novelists.
It also made me think further on the impact of Christian Socialism which I’d rather under-valued as laying down the foundations for the socially divisive sports of cricket and rugby union.
I seems to have had the book (By the way a rather lovely and beautifully bound volume from Harvard University Press...a delight to hold and read) open in front of me for weeks now. I’ve finally closed it but will keep it close to hand and refer to it regularly.
Here’s the last couple of sentences as a taster. Brantlinger is talking about Dickens, Mill and Ruskin.
“Much of their greatness and of the literature of reform generally derives from the belief that there is nothing inevitable about injustice, and that people can end it by restructuring their institutions to match their ideals. Their optimism - critical, reform-minded, and based on people rather than machinery - was the finest product of the culture that the Victorians themselves created.”
I don’t agree with absolutely everything in this book (and I’m absolutely sure the author would be appalled if anybody agreed with everything) but I’m full-square behind these statements.
As a final point, the notes, citations and references make this a valuable fingerpost for further reading.
February 3, 2012
Classic and very informative.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews