Ans: The Victorian period (1832-1901) is one of the most influential periods in the arena of English literature. This age is an age of social unrest. It was a melting plot in the history of England. Too many influences worked in the Victorian era. This age is found to mark the advancement of the English people in political expansion, scientific knowledge, materialistic pursuits, and progress. In fact, it was an age of rapid industrialization and scientific development. Because of the advancement of science and materialism, religion or Christianity faced a setback.
During the Victorian age, People suffered from faith and doubt, they were not sure whether to have faith in religion or science. Rules of conduct and religious belief had been shaken by the ideas of scientific theories. The Victorian people were in doubt. This aspect of the age was a glaring feature of Victorian literature. This very feature is found in the work of literary figures of the Victorian age. In religious and ethical thought “The Oxford Movement” headed by Newman was the most important religious movement of the age.
During the Victorian age, society was progressing from a backward 18th – century society to the modern 20th century. With the advent of science and technology society progressed and achieved much scientific knowledge. There was development in the outlook of the people. There was development in different branches of science. Darwin’s theory of evolution brought about a radical change in the fundamental faith of mankind. Darwin’s publication of “The Origin of Species” (1859) opposed the Biblical idea of human creation. Darwin defends the idea of “the survival of the fittest”. His other book “The Descent of Man” (1871) assembled new evidence that man was descended from apes (বানর). This very idea of a man descending from apes had shaken the religious faith of the people. People were not sure whether science was true or New Testament challenged the Christian idea of the origin and end of mankind.
Matthew Arnold who is one the most formidable figures shows Victorian traits in many of his poems. In this respect, “Dover Beach” is a striking example of Victorian traits. In this poem, the poet shows the conflict between religion and science. Arnold uses the interplay between sea and land to explore the conflict between religions and science. This very poem examines society’s dark mood of confusion as well as its wavering faith. In the mid-nineteenth century, Arnold noted that the pillar of faith supporting society was perceived as crumbling under the weight of scientific theories such as those of English naturalist Charles Darwin, and English physician Erasmus consequently the existence of God and the whole Christian scheme of things was cast in doubt, Arnold who was deeply religious, lamented the death of the light of faith as symbolized by the light he sees on Dover Beach on the Coast of France which gleams for a moment and fades away the next moments. Arnold laments the loss of values and loss of Christian faith. He identifies science as an obstacle to moral gradation. In “Dover Beach” Arnold says —
“The sea of faith
Was once too at the full and round earth’s shore
Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furl’d…”
Arnold laments that once upon a time people had full faith in Christianity as the world is surrounded by the sea. But with the advent of the new age, science, and technology, traditional values receded.
To sum up, we can say that the Victorian age had undergone changes with serious consequences. Because of the advancement of scientific theories especially for the publication of “Origin of Species” by Darwin, people were confused about whether to believe in religion or science. As there was a conflict between science and religion, the Victorian period was like a melting plot in the history of England.
