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Women writers in Victorian literature!

Hi! I want to write my dissertation on how women writers in the victorian period write male characters. Does anyone have any recommendations of novels/writers etc? Thanks :smile:
Reply 1
Well, the Bronte sisters are apparently from the Victorian Era, so I guess you could research more on them! I haven't read any of Charlotte Bronte but I'm studying Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte now and the male protagonist is very interestingly written, as are the other male characters! Then The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte is also really interesting because it was considered taboo at the time due to her writing about an abusive husband.

George Eliot (which is a pen name) is also from the Victorian Era although I'm not sure about any of the male characters she's written about since I haven't read anything from her.

Hope this helps!
Original post by loveenglish333
Hi! I want to write my dissertation on how women writers in the victorian period write male characters. Does anyone have any recommendations of novels/writers etc? Thanks :smile:



That's a good topic!

George Elliot's The Mill on the Floss - Tom Gulliver
Elizabeth Gaskell's Ruth - Mr Bellingham (he is a knob - absolutely hated him). I'll give you a little bit of background. He and Ruth basically hook up one. Then suddenly after he had sex with her, he ditches her and leaves her to bore her child alone. He suddenly comes back and wants to take the the child with him, leaving Ruth battling for her child. It's such a sad, tragic novel. One of my favourites though!
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - Dr Frankenstein
Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights - Heathcliff (personally hated this novel).
Edith Wharton might be one of them. But she's more early 20th century.

I think that's all I can think of. I'm not too sure about female dramatists during the Vic era. I'm not too sure on which time frame you're looking at - the latter or the former side to Victorian England?
Thanks so much - great suggestions. I am thinking latter Victorian at the moment but planning to do as much reading from the period as possible and then make a decision. Any more suggestions would be great! Thanks!

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