Realism, Representation, and the Arts in Nineteenth-Century Literature

Thisbookconfrontsasignificantparadoxinthedevelopmentofliteraryrealism:theverynovelsthatpresentthemselvesaspurveyorsandcelebrantsofdirect,ordinaryhumanexperiencealsomanifestanobsessionwithartthatthreatenstosabotagetheirRealistclaims.Unlikepreviousstudiesoftheroleofvisualart,ormusic,ortheatreinVictorianliterature,Realism,Representation,andtheArtsinNineteenth-CenturyLiteratureexaminesthejuxtapositionofalloftheseartsintheworksofCharlotteBront?,WilliamThackeray,GeorgeEliot,ThomasHardy,andothers.AlisonByerlycombinesclosetextualanalysiswithdiscussionofrelevantancillarytopicstoilluminatetheplaceofdifferentartswithinnineteenth-centuryBritishculture.Herbook,whichalsocontainssixteenillustrations,representsanefforttobridgethegrowinggapbetweenaestheticsandculturalstudies.