THE GREAT ENGLISH NOVELISTS
I--SIR WALTER SCOTT
1. _Story of His Life: in the Country_--Love of the Scottish
countryside; saturation with old legends as a child; interest in odd
characters.
2. _Story of His Life: in the City_--Homes in Edinburgh; relation to the
law; his personal friends; his connection with the Ballantynes and
publishing; his marriage and family; the building of Abbotsford; the
last years.
3. _As a Poet_--Influence of ballads; simplicity of form.
4. _Readings from His Poetry_--Lay of the Last Minstrel; Lady of the
Lake.
5. _As a Novelist_--The anonymous Waverley; rapidity of production;
historic scope of the novels.
6. _Readings from His Novels_--Guy Mannering (Meg Merrilies); Ivanhoe
(the tourney); Heart of Midlothian (Effie Deans).
DISCUSSION--A comparison of Scott with later writers of historical
novels.
BOOKS TO CONSULT--Lockhart: Life of Scott. R. H. Hutton: Scott (English
Men of Letters Series). Washington Irving's account of his visit to
Abbotsford.
Have a talk on Scott's romantic love-story and his later courtship and
marriage. Give an account of his friendships, especially of that with
Marjorie Fleming, and read from Dr. Brown's book about her life. Tell of
the dogs Scott loved. Describe Abbotsford and Melrose; describe his
death and the burial at Dryburgh; use as many photographs as can be
obtained.
II--JANE AUSTEN
1. _The Story of Jane Austen's Life_--The county society; the material
for her novels; her method of composition.
2. _Emma and Mansfield Park_--Analysis of the plots and the characters.
Jane Austen's men and her women.
3. _Jane Austen's Masterpiece: Pride and Prejudice_--The story. The
author's sense of humor. Readings: The ball; Mr. Collins' letter, etc.
4. _The Place of Jane Austen in Modern English Literature_--The pioneer
novelist of modern society. Her realism. Estimates by Howells and
others.
BOOKS TO CONSULT--Life of Jane Austen, by her nephew, J. E. Austen
Leigh. Letters, edited by Lord Brabourne. Life, by Oscar Fay Adams.
Life, by Walter Pollock.
Miss Austen is a charming subject, with many points of interest. The
family life at Steventon is one; her letter-writing is another; her
meeting with Thackeray is a third. Read from her letters, her brief
unfinished comedy, and her poem. Describe her burial-place in Winchester
Cathedral.
III--CHARLOTTE BRONTE
1. _The Story of her Life_--The home on the moors at Haworth, father and
brother, the three brilliant sisters; boarding-school life; Brussels;
her literary career, marriage, death.
2. _The Professor and Jane Eyre_--The Professor: rejection by the
publishers. Estimate of it to-day. Jane Eyre: realistic and dramatic
qualities. England's disapproval.
3. _Shirley and Villette_--Shirley: First novel by a woman dealing with
the industrial problem. Its realism. Character of Shirley contrasted
with that of Jane Eyre. Villette: Local color. Character of Madame Beck.
4. _Her Personal Experience as Reflected in Her Novels_--The moors,
boarding-school experiences, life in Brussels, the manufacturing region
of England.
BOOKS TO CONSULT--Mrs. Gaskell: Life of Charlotte Bronte. T. W. Reid:
Life of Charlotte Bronte. Clement Shorter: Charlotte Bronte and Her
Circle.
The life of the three remarkable sisters, known at the time as Currer,
Acton and Ellis Bell, is full of deep interest. Illustrate the program
with readings from Charlotte's Jane Eyre, Emily's Wuthering Heights, and
Anne's Tenant of Wildfell Hall. Read a few of their verses also.
Contrast Charlotte with Jane Austen. Close with several brief selections
from Mrs. Gaskell's Life of Charlotte.
IV--THACKERAY
1. _The Story of His Life_--School days at the Charterhouse. Cambridge.
Study of art abroad. _The Constitutional_. Newspaper work. His marriage
and his daughters. His first novel. His lectures. The English Humorist,
and later, The Four Georges. Visits to America. Attempt at political
life. Editor of _Cornhill Magazine_. Read Thackeray's Death, in Spare
Hours, by Dr. John Brown.
2. _Vanity Fair_--The novel without a hero. Becky Sharp: intellect
_minus_ heart; Amelia Sedley: heart _minus_ intellect. Interest of the
historical setting. Read from the Duchess of Richmond's ball.
3. _Henry Esmond, and The Virginians_--Henry Esmond: its place as one of
the few great novels. The historical setting. Character of Beatrix. Is
the estimate of the Duke of Marlborough just? The Virginians: connection
with Henry Esmond. Is the American color correct? Reading: scene between
Beatrix and the Pretender.
4. _Pendennis, and The Newcomes_--Pendennis: London newspaper life.
Compare the characters of Laura and Helen. The Newcomes: most popular of
the novels. Theme: the unhappy marriage. The character of Colonel
Newcome. Reading: the Charterhouse and the death of Colonel Newcome.
5. _Thackeray's Place in the Literary World_--His instant success as a
novelist. His friendships among men of letters. His warmth of
affection. Discussion of his satire. His place as social preacher. Is
Taine's estimate of him just?
BOOKS TO CONSULT--Biographical and Harry Furniss's editions of the
novels (introductions). Melvill: Life of Thackeray. Merivale and
Marzials: Life of Thackeray. Chesterton: Thackeray. Riding: Thackeray's
London.
V--DICKENS
1. _The Man and the Author_--His early life of hardship and the material
it furnished him. Reminiscences in David Copperfield. Newspaper life and
Sketches by Boz. Origin of this name. The launching of Pickwick. Growing
fame. Marriage. Trips to America. Dickens as actor and reader. Home at
Gad's Hill. Grave in Westminster Abbey.
2. _The Humor and Pathos of Dickens_--Pickwick as a type of pure humor.
The grotesque, illustrated by Quilp, Squeers, Uriah Heep. The farcical,
as illustrated by Micawber, Pecksniff, and Sarah Gamp. Pathos in Tiny
Tim, Paul Dombey, and Little Nell. Reading from Bardell vs. Pickwick,
and the death of Little Nell (Old Curiosity Shop).
3. _Dickens as a Humanitarian_--Little Dorrit and prison reform. Bleak
House and the law's delay. Nicholas Nickleby and poor schools. Oliver
Twist and youthful criminals.
4. _His Greatest Novel: David Copperfield_--Discuss the plot and the
chief characters. Notice the individuality of the women: Mrs.
Copperfield, Miss Murdstone, Betsy Trotwood, Peggotty, Little Emily,
Dora, and Agnes.
BOOKS TO CONSULT--Forster: Life of Dickens. Letters of Charles Dickens.
G. K. Chesterton: Charles Dickens. Gissing: Charles Dickens.
A paper comparing Dickens and Thackeray may be added to this program,
for Dombey and Son, Dickens's sixth successful novel, appeared the same
year as Vanity Fair, Thackeray's first. There might be a paper on The
Names of Dickens's Characters, and Where He Got Them.
VI--TROLLOPE
1. _His Life_--Son of the novelist Frances M. Trollope. Unhappy life at
Winchester and Harrow. In the postal service. (See The Three Clerks for
the examination of Charley Tudor--Trollope's own experience.)
Post-office surveys in Ireland. Travels on post-office business.
Material thus gathered. His forty novels. First good novel, The Warden.
The idea of it suggested while wandering about Salisbury Cathedral.
Popularity and large earnings.
2. _The Barsetshire Novels_--Deal with upper middle class, especially
clergymen and their families. Pictures of quiet country life. Realism.
Evenness of tone. Favorite situation: the man who has compromised
himself and is in danger of ruin. Description of the leading characters
in these novels.
3. _Four Novels_--Give brief sketch of plot and description of the chief
characters in Orley Farm, Phineas Finn, The Vicar of Bullhampton, and
Can You Forgive Her? Readings from these books.
4. _A Comparison of Trollope with Dickens and Thackeray_--Their
materials, plots, methods of treatment, and diverse styles. Their
relative popularity and standing to-day. Influence of Thackeray on
Trollope.
BOOKS TO CONSULT--Anthony Trollope: Autobiography. Cross: The
Development of the English Novel. Saintsbury: English Literature of the
Nineteenth Century.
One of the famous women in the books of this decade is Mrs. Proudie, the
wife of the Bishop of Barchester. Read a description of her, her
methods of management, and the retribution which overtook her. The Rev.
Mr. Slope is also a well-known character in connection with the
Proudies.
VII--BULWER LYTTON
1. _Life_--Birth and childhood. Fondness for medieval romances (compare
Sir Walter Scott). Cambridge and the Chancellor's gold medal. Romantic
adventures in the North. Unhappy marriage. Necessity the motive to work.
Twelve novels in ten years. His plays. Parliament. Colonial
secretaryship. The peerage. Westminster Abbey.
2. _Novels_--The novel of society: Pelham. The novel of adventure: Paul
Clifford. The novel of crime: Eugene Aram. The novel of domestic life:
My Novel. The novel of history: Last Days of Pompeii.
3. _Plays_--Lady of Lyons, Richelieu, Money. Analysis of plots,
description of chief characters, and readings.
4. _Critical Estimate of His Work and Place in Literature_.
BOOKS TO CONSULT--Life of Bulwer Lytton, by his Son. Bulwer Lytton's
Letters. T. H. S. Escott: Edward Bulwer. Lewis Melville: Victorian
Novelists. J. F. Molloy: Famous Plays.
Bulwer Lytton was a personage in society in his day. Contrast his life
with that of his contemporaries, Thackeray and Disraeli. Compare Vanity
Fair and Coningsby with Pelham. Distinguish between Bulwer Lytton and
his son, who was viceroy of India and author of the once-popular Lucile.
Explain why Bulwer Lytton's plays have more vitality than his novels.
VIII--GEORGE ELIOT
1. _The Story of Her Life_--Materials for her novels in her early life.
Evangelical training and later change in her religious views. Life with
Lewes and his encouragement of her writing. Literary friendships.
Marriage to Cross.
2. _Scenes from Clerical Life, and Silas Marner_--Story of the
appearance of the Scenes and of her _nom de plume_. Reading from Silas
Marner.
3. _Adam Bede_--Study of Retribution. _Felix Holt_--Study of labor.
Readings.
4. _Mill on the Floss_--Study of family life. _Middlemarch_--Study of
selfishness. Readings.
5. _Romola_--Study of historic Florence. _Daniel Deronda_--Study of the
Jew. Readings.
6. _Comparison of George Eliot with Thackeray, Dickens, and
Trollope_--Her ethical quality as a writer.
BOOKS TO CONSULT--J. W. Cross: Life of George Eliot. Oscar Browning:
Life of George Eliot. Mathilde Blind: George Eliot. C. S. Olcott: George
Eliot: Scenes and People in Her Novels, illustrated from photographs.
Also essays by Sir Leslie Stephen, E. H. A. Scherer, E. Dowden, R. H.
Hutton, and Henry James.
No program on George Eliot would be complete without a brief
presentation of her poetry. A scene may be read from the Spanish Gipsy,
a selection from How Lisa Loved the King, and the whole of the beautiful
short poem, Oh May I Join the Choir Invisible. A description of her
grave in Highgate Cemetery in London, and its inscription, may conclude.
IX--ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
1. _Story of His Life_--Childhood and Edinburgh University. Travels on
the Continent. Trip to America. First writing for publication. Story of
his books. Samoa. Reading of passages from his letters.
2. _Short Stories_--His fantastic imagination. Style and how he
cultivated it. Readings from the New Arabian Nights. Analysis of Dr.
Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
3. _Essays and Sketches_--Variety of subject and versatility of
treatment. Readings from Crabbed Age and Youth, John Knox and Women, and
In the South Seas.
4. _Scotch Adventures_--Analysis and description of The Master of
Ballantrae, Kidnapped, David Balfour, Weir of Hermiston. Reading from
Kidnapped.
5. _Varied Romances_--Treasure Island, Prince Otto, The Black Arrow, The
Wrecker, The Ebb Tide. Note the great variety of material. Reading from
Treasure Island.
BOOKS TO CONSULT--Graham Balfour: Life of Robert Louis Stevenson. A. H.
Japp: Robert Louis Stevenson. John Kelman: The Faith of Robert Louis
Stevenson. Isobel Osbourne Strong: Robert Louis Stevenson.
A program on Stevenson should certainly mention his poems. Read from his
A Child's Garden of Verse. Notice also his prayers, which have had large
circulation and use in the religious world. There might be a paper on
the varied appreciation of Stevenson by his biographers, noting
especially Henley. Show pictures of Stevenson, and especially of the
bas-relief of him made by Saint-Gaudens for St. Giles's Cathedral in
Edinburgh.
X--GEORGE MEREDITH
1. _The Man_--Story of his life and remarkable friendships.
Peculiarities. His style and satire. Compare his prose with Browning's
verse. Were they purposely obscure? Why is Meredith not more popular?
His later days. Compare him with Dickens and Thackeray.
2. _Richard Feverel, and Beauchamp's Career_--Analysis of the plots and
description of the chief characters. Have these books a moral? Discuss
the novel as a teacher of morals. Readings.
3. _The Egoist_--Analysis of the plot and description of the chief
character, Sir Willoughby Patterne. Is his refined and unconscious
selfishness a common occurrence? Discuss the proper limits of egotism.
Quotation of clever sayings.
4. _Diana of the Crossways, One of Our Conquerors, The Shaving of
Shagpat_--Description in detail of these books, and their purposes. If
possible, indicate any characters supposed to be from life.
BOOKS TO CONSULT--E. J. Bailey: The Novels of George Meredith. Mrs.
M. D. Henderson: George Meredith, Novelist, Poet, Reformer. R. Le
Gallienne: George Meredith, Some Characteristics. J. W. Beach: The Comic
Spirit on George Meredith.
Have a brief paper on George Meredith as a poet and the various
estimates of his poetry by literary critics; read from some of the
best-known poems. Indicate Meredith's relation to the Feminist Movement.
Look up in the magazines published at the time of his death something
about his manuscripts and how he disposed of them.