The rise of the novel

Thinkers of ancient times produced handwritten books called manuscript. But circulation of manuscripts were limited to very few people. In contrast to this, print enabled production of multiple copies of any book, thereby making it easier to circulate and gaining popularity in very short time. Thus, novel got variety of readers. To fulfill the interest of readers number of novels were produced. With increasing reading people started thinking about topics like relationship between love, marriage, men and women, etc. Writers wrote whatever they want in the writings and were independent on upper class for financial support. Small stanzas of poems were used in novels by Walter Scott. A different form of noel used personal forms of letters to narrate the story. Epistolary novel ‘pamela’ written by Samuel Richardson explain the story through the exchange of letters between two lovers.

Publishing markets

Cost of novels were high, thus, poor people could not buy and read the novels. Public libraries allowed access of books to poor people. Later, with lowered price it became possible for common people to buy books. Also, to increase the profits publishers started lending books to people on hourly basis.

Reasons for popularity of novels

The novels were first mass produced items to be sold. The world presented in novels appears interesting, believable and real. While reading novels the readers imagine themselves in the world of story. Novels were readable in private as well as public. In rural areas people came together and listen the loud reading of novel. By hearing reading hey become deeply involved in character. Illustrations suspense, cheapness increased the novel publicity.

The world of novel

Novelist Charles Dickens recognised problem of unemployment, effects of industrialisation and development on the lives of people. He described it in the story of imaginary town called coketown in the novel ‘Hard Times’. In his another noel called ‘Oliver Twist’ he highlighted the terrible conditions of urban life in the industrial age. Emile Zola written ‘Germinal’ novel in 1885 , on life of a young miner.

Community and Society

Most of novels were written on life of rural people. Since, most of the readers were from cities, novels created feeling of affection for rural community in their mind. Thomas Hardy a british novelist wrote about traditional culture of rural areas which were speedily vanishing. The novel written during the time when farmers established machined on agricultural lands, employed labourers and started producing industrial goods. Very same thing was reflected in Hardy’s novel ‘Mayor of casterbridge.’’ Different cultures were brought together by using spoken language of common people.

The New Women

From eighteenth century women’s involvement in reading as well as writing the novels was increased. Novels started expressing the emotions, identities, experience and problems of the women. Novels allowed them womens to write whatever they want without bothering society. They wrote about their family and gained wide popularity. Novels of Jane Austen, shows era of nineteenth century that how the society encouraged women to look for good marriages and find rich husband. Some novels written by women which opposes the social norms. By reading such book women readers feels sympathy for the life of women which can give to rebellious actions.

The New Women

Novels presented a man who was strong, confident, independent and daring. In novels, colonisers were shown as great heros. This because colonisers bravely face native people in the unknown regions. Examples of such novel are the The Treasure Island and The Jungle Book. During the domination of British empire, historical adventure novels of G. A. Henry became widely popular. These novels presented the excitements and adventures of winning strange lands. Most of the times the stories were taken from countries such as Mexico, Alexandria, Siberia. These stories always had young boys which involved in well known military actions. The stories explains how these boys showed ‘English’ courage. Love stories of young girls presented by Helen Hunt Jackson and Sarah Chauncey. After twentieth century, writer like Joseph conrad wrote novels that presented dark side of colonialism. He showed different problems raised against the colonised nations because of colonisation.
Keywords: Colonialism, Jungle book

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