YILDIRIM, Aşkın Haluk İzmir Katip Çelebi Üniversitesi - Yabancı Diller Yüksekokulu, Turkey

ANGELS OF THE HOUSE: DICKENS’ VICTORIAN WOMEN

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This article explores Charles Dickens’ view of Victorian women and the effect of his perception of women on his creation of female characters in his novels. To this end, the gender issues in the Victorian era are presented along with the social reforms and industrial revolution in terms of their impact on the status of women in 19th century Victorian England. The role of actual female figures in Dickens’ personal life is also examined in order to provide an insight into the motives and inspirations behind his creation of female characters. In view of the detailed account given as to the time period and background information provided, the main issue discussed in the article is the extent of Dickens’ conformity with the Victorian ideology of women in his novels. Through the insight provided in the article, it is concluded that despite Dickens’ overall faith in the ‘Angel of the House’ concept, his fiction does not strictly follow the gender codes of the period.

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Victorian Ideology of Women , Charles Dickens’ Female Characters , Social Reforms , Industrial Revolution , Gender Issues in the Victorian Era

dokuz eylul university the journal of graduate school of social sciences

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