This article constructively explores the emergence and development of realism in Victorian literature, particularly within the novel genre. It provides insight into the socio-political context of the period and discusses the creative methodologies utilized by influential writers like Charles Dickens, George Eliot and the Bronte sisters. By examining the transition from romantic to realist narrative modes, the study highlights the significant contributions of Victorian novels in portraying complex social realities and giving a voice to marginalized groups. Furthermore, it underscores how these works contributed to the moral and intellectual development of society. The paper also reflects on how the genre’s formal features, such as scope, character complexity, and length, effectively mirror the broader cultural transformations occurring in 19th-century Britain, fostering a deeper understanding of the literary landscape of the time.

Realism, Victorian literature, novel, genre

Anikin, U. V., & Mukhailaskaya, N. P. (2001). Social issues in Victorian literature. Moscow State University Press.

Bronte, C., Bronte E., & Bronte, A. (Eds.). (2003). The Brontë Sisters: Selected novels and poems. Oxford University Press.

Dickens, C. (1998). David Copperfield (G. Gissing, Ed.). Penguin Classics. (Original work published 1849)

Dickens, C. (2003). Oliver Twist (N. Jones, Ed.). Oxford University Press. (Original work published 1838)

Eliot, G. (1996). Adam Bede. Penguin Classics.

Flanagan, D. (2012). Realism and romanticism in nineteenth-century literature. Routledge.

Hartley, J. (2010). Victorian literature and the art of the novel. Roehampton University Press.

Mitchell, D. (1975). Victorian England: The reign of Queen Victoria, 1837–1901. Thames & Hudson.

Sutherland, J. (1999). The Longman Companion to Victorian Fiction. Longman.

Thompson, F. M. L. (1990). The rise of Victorian realism. Cambridge University Press.