1.

SORU : discuss the transition from Victorian novel to Edwardian or (early 20th century) novel by
comparing the British novel in both eras. refer to the text support your discussion.

Certainly! The Victorian era, which spanned from 1837 to 1901, was characterized by a focus on
realism and social commentary in literature. Novels of this era often explored the lives of the working
class and the poor, as well as the impact of industrialization on society 1. The Victorian novelists were
also known for their use of complex plots, intricate character development, and moral lessons 1.

The Edwardian era, which lasted from 1901 to 1910, saw a shift in literary style. The novels of this era
were often more experimental and less focused on social commentary than those of the Victorian era
2. The Edwardian novelists were more interested in exploring the inner lives of their characters and
experimenting with new narrative techniques 2. This period also saw the rise of the modernist
movement, which rejected the traditional values of the Victorian era and embraced new forms of
expression 3.

In terms of British novels, the transition from the Victorian era to the Edwardian era can be seen in
the works of authors such as E.M. Forster and Virginia Woolf. Forster’s novel “Howards End,”
published in 1910, is often cited as an example of the transition from the Victorian novel to the
modern novel 2. The novel explores the themes of class, gender, and social change, but also
experiments with narrative structure and point of view 2. Similarly, Woolf’s novel “Mrs. Dalloway,”
published in 1925, is a prime example of the modernist movement and its focus on the inner lives of
characters 3.

Overall, the transition from the Victorian novel to the Edwardian novel was marked by a shift in
literary style and a move away from the social commentary and realism of the Victorian era. The
Edwardian novelists were more interested in exploring the inner lives of their characters and
experimenting with new narrative techniques, paving the way for the modernist movement that
would dominate the early 20th century 32.

2-A analyze Heart of Darkness for its narrative features and elements. give specific examples from
the novel

Certainly! “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad is a novel that explores the dark side of human
nature and the horrors of imperialism. The narrative is framed as a story within a story, with an
unnamed narrator recounting Marlow’s tale of his journey up the Congo River to meet the enigmatic
Kurtz 1. Here are some of the narrative features and elements of the novel:

Ambiguity: Conrad uses ambiguity throughout the novel to create a sense of uncertainty and unease.
For example, the true nature of Kurtz’s character is never fully revealed, leaving the reader to draw
their own conclusions 2.

Symbolism: The novel is full of symbolic imagery, such as the river, which represents the journey into
the unknown, and the darkness, which represents the evil that lurks within the human heart 1.

Narrative structure: The novel is structured as a frame narrative, with the unnamed narrator
recounting Marlow’s story. This structure allows Conrad to explore multiple perspectives and themes

Foreshadowing: Conrad uses foreshadowing throughout the novel to hint at the events to come. For
example, the description of the “sepulchral city” of Brussels foreshadows the darkness that Marlow
will encounter in the Congo
Irony: The novel is full of irony, such as the contrast between the supposed “civilizing” mission of the
Europeans and the brutal reality of their actions in the Congo 3.

Characterization: Conrad uses characterization to explore the complex motivations and personalities
of his characters. For example, Marlow is a complex character who is both repelled and fascinated by
Kurtz

These are just a few examples of the narrative features and elements of “Heart of Darkness.” I hope
this helps!

SORU 3 : Write a 5 paragraphs (1 intro, 3 bodies, 1 conclusion) essay to anallyticaly compare Heart
of Darkness and A Passage to India in terms of style, themesi, arguments, etc.

Introduction

Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and A Passage to India by E.M. Forster are two literary works
that have been widely studied and analyzed. Although the two novels are separated by a generation
and were produced in differing periods of each writer’s career, they share many similarities. Both
works deal with the issues of colonialism and not only ‘fall’ into the category of post-colonial
literature, but doubtlessly trigger a lot of debatable problems related to colonialism that otherwise
lay hidden under the feigned integrity of the British rule.

Body Paragraph 1

The two novels carry the burden of factual evidence from specific eras of history. A Passage to India
puts before our eyes the time of decline of the British Empire following World War I, while Heart of
Darkness takes us into the realm of the European Imperial Powers resulting in a lot of scuttling in
Africa. In this way, both E.M. Forster and Joseph Conrad can be taken as perfect examples of the
writers who could explicitly voice the mood of a particular moment in history. The views of natives
expressed in both the novels against ‘imperialism’ and its impact are the epitome of their times.
‘Social Darwinism’ and ‘Euro-centrism’ are two notions directly traced by both the novelists in a
thorough manner. Only the ‘Fittest’ could survive in the world depicted by them and the only possible
‘center’ for the production of ‘fitness’ in that world was doubtlessly considered to be ‘Europe’.

Body Paragraph 2

Apart from disparity in their length and structure (Heart of Darkness: a novella, A Passage to India: a
fully developed novel), the two narratives are separated by a generation and were produced in
differing periods of each writer’s career. Each of the two novelists emerged from a very different
background and had a very unique upbringing. In the case of Conrad, the novella is the direct
outcome of his experiences as in charge of a small river steamboat in the African Congo in 1890. For
his part, E.M. Forster, after having traveled so often through India, seems to have produced A Passage
to India as a result of his own ‘passages’ there.

Body Paragraph 3

Both the novels must be comprehended at various reading levels in order to derive complete essence
out of them. Both the novels carry the burden of factual evidence from specific eras of history. A
Passage to India puts before our eyes the time of decline of the British Empire following World War I,
while Heart of Darkness takes us into the realm of the European Imperial Powers resulting in a lot of
scuttling in Africa. In this way, both E.M. Forster and Joseph Conrad can be taken as perfect examples
of the writers who could explicitly voice the mood of a particular moment in history. The views of
natives expressed in both the novels against ‘imperialism’ and its impact are the epitome of their
times. ‘Social Darwinism’ and ‘Euro-centrism’ are two notions directly traced by both the novelists in
a thorough manner. Only the ‘Fittest’ could survive in the world depicted by them and the only
possible ‘center’ for the production of ‘fitness’ in that world was doubtlessly considered to be
‘Europe’.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Heart of Darkness and A Passage to India are two literary works that share many
similarities despite being written by different authors in different periods of time. Both novels deal
with the issues of colonialism and not only ‘fall’ into the category of post-colonial literature, but
doubtlessly trigger a lot of debatable problems related to colonialism that otherwise lay hidden
under the feigned integrity of the British rule. Both novels must be comprehended at various reading
levels in order to derive complete essence out of them.