Lezione 4 inglese
The literary market changed – the beginning of the mass – the term best-seller was coined in
this period. A new readership market – development of global centers. The publishers were
aware of the new market – books were more affordable for people. To do so we can mention
the circulating libraries and free libraries – they serve the working + middle classes.
The triple-decker volume is the standard format for novels = affordable. Cheaper re-prints of
popular fiction history + biography.
Real revolution: serialization fiction= publication of novels in series, published weekly or
monthly and it made books more affordable but also changes the entire experience of reading.
First book in series: Dickens’s Pickwick Papers (1836-7)
Each chapter of the book must engage the reader in a single unit (have a meaning of its own)
but at the same time it must work within the context of the novel. (following plot)
These novels have elements in common:
-refusion of closure
-Political + social + culture issues
-Experience of reading itself: the readers now had to read a novel over a period in years –
with breaks between chapters. From passive readers to readers that can try and express their
opinion for the first time in history. Sherlock Holmes = the final programs in which sherlock
forms during a fight with his enemny dies – reaction of the public was so strong – the author
changed the narration= readers changed influence of the novel + psychological description
of the character.
Romance – novel
Characters
Romance
1- They are very important members of the society
2- They do magical/spiritual or heroic tasks that are impossible for normal people.
3- They are normally one-dimensional characters that stay the same throughout the story =
no psychological transformation or development.
There is a study by a critic of the 1950, Ian Watt, who wrote the rise of the English novel =
he analyzes the rise of the realistic novel and in this study, he linked the rise of the
genre of the novel with the rise of the modern character.
He starts his analysis with everyman - function to embody and show moral or allegorical
traits – show more virtues – symbolic characters.
The idea of the character in the novel is to show people involved in everyday activities –
present reality. Key characters are not in novel important historical figures but common
people, who during the narration are changed by events.
4.. Reading public: noble people. Describe their gesture + idea behaviour they were supposed
to pratice.
Novel
1- They are middle class characters
2- They do daily chores
