Victorians! discussion

...as certainly as I know that Mr George Bartram's visits have lately grown more and more frequent to the family at Portland Place—so certainly I can assure you that Norah is finding a relief under her suspense which is not of my bringing, and a hope in the future, which I have not taught her to feel.

Ah ha, perhaps our conjecture is correct. I am happy that Norah has found someone. We will see how this all plays out. Hard right now though to see a happy ending for all. I wonder if Magdalen will be made to pay for her behaviours? Will Collins give her a reprieve? Would the Victorians allow that?

I think Collins would. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a social commentary.

I think so too, as I think he was definitely pro women. He seems to cut them a lot more slack than many of the other Victorian authors and for that, I admire him even more.

I also noticed that there is not much religion mentioned in his works, unlike other Vic authors. He definitely was not the fire and brimstone type was he?

No. I think he was a religious cynic, which, considering the times and the religious atmosphere, I don't blame him. Meredith, (maybe I already said this) was another champion for women. He writes some amazingly strong women. His books are really heavy on the didacticism, but I love them. But really, George Eliot was as well, if you think about it. She was a woman, though, so she doesnt' get the extra points for being pro women. Still, the changes she affected, even though it took some time, or simply breathtaking. She wrote of the first efforts of the Zionist movement in England. I have to believe it had some bearing on the formation of Israel. That was what they were after, after all. Amazing the power of the written word.

Silas Hocking is another I've begun to read. He was a clergyman, I believe, but his views were not straight down the line, either.