What are common characteristics of Victorian Literature?

[Starling]

Anna Leonowens didn't write ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM. The novel was published in 1944 and was by Margaret Landon. Anna Leonowens published two somewhat fictionalized memoirs of her life at the Court of Siam which I actually read when I was in high school because they were reissued in the late 1950s. The titles of her books were "The English Governess at the Siamese Court" (1870) and "Romance of the Harem" (1872).

She discusses race issues, sexual issues at the court, and I think even touches on imperialism.

The novel is about Anna Leonowens, not by her. A black and white movie was made from the novel in 1946.

[Ally]

I've just been reading one of my old text books and came across a reference to [Author: Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick], who wrote a book in the '80's called [Book: The Coherence of Gothic Conventions] - It lists the 'Gothic Rules', which I think are quite funny when applied to a lot of Victorian Lit so I thought I'd share them here...

1. The setting will include 'an oppressive ruin' in 'a wild landscape' in a European country which is 'a catholic or feudal society'.

2. At the centre of the story will be a heroine conspicuous for her 'trembling sensitivity' and her lover, whose behaviour will show great 'impetuosity'.

3. Also central to the story will be a 'tyrannical older man', usually described as having a 'piercing gaze who is going to imprison and try to rape or murder them'.

4. The form of the novel will be 'discontinuous and involuted'.

5. Certain topics will regularly recur, for example: an interest in the 'priesthood and monastic institutions; sleeplike and deathlike states; subterranean spaces and live burial; doubles; the discovery of obscure family ties'.

6. The reader will regularly observe the 'possibilities of incest', 'unnatural echoes or silences' and the 'poisonous effects of guilt and shame'.

7. 'Unintelligible writings' will regularly be discovered; much will explicitly be said to be 'unspeakable'.

...are there many Victorian novels left that DON'T fit this bill! LOL

Ally