The Rise of the Novel:
Novel is a modem form of literature. It is born because of print which is a mechanical invention. Novels could reach a larger audience because of print. Novels began to be written from the 17th century and flowered in the 18th century. New groups of lower-middle-class; along with the traditional aristocratic and gentlemanly classes in England and France formed the new readership of novels.The Publishing Market:
Initially, novels did not come cheap and were out of reach for the poor classes. With the introduction of circulating libraries in 1740; people could get easier access to books. Apart from various innovations in printing, innovations in marketing also helped in increasing the sales and bringing down the prices.The worlds created by novels were more realistic and believable. While reading a novel, the reader was transported to another person’s world. Novels allowed individuals the pleasure of reading in private. It also allowed the joy of publicly reading and discussing stories.
In 1836, Charles Dicken’s Pickwick Papers was serialized in a magazine. Magazines were cheaper and illustrated. Moreover, serialization allowed readers to relish the suspense. They could live for weeks in anticipation of the next plot of the story.
The World of the Novel:
In the 19th century, Europe entered the industrial age. While industrialization created new opportunities of growth and development, it also created new problems for the workers and the city life. Many novelists created stories around the problems of ordinary people in the new cities. Charles Dickens and Emile Zola were the notable authors of this period.Community and Society:
The novels reflected the contemporary developments in the society. Thomas Hardy’s Mayor of Caster bridge (1886) is novel written in the rural backdrop. The novel by Hardy has use of vernacular language which is the language spoken by common people. Use of vernacular helped Hardy in correlating with the common people who lived in that period.Women and the Novels:
During the 18th century Britain, the middle class became more prosperous. Women could get more spare time which they utilized to read and write novels. That is how the novels began to explore the world of women. Many novels were about domestic life. A woman writer could write about domestic life with more authority than a male writer. Many women novelists also began to raise questions about the established norms of society.Novels for the Young:
Novels for the young boys were based on heroism. The hero of such novels used to be a powerful, assertive, independent and daring person. As this was the period of expansion of colonialism, most of the novels tried to glorify colonialism. Books; like R. L. Stevenson’s Treasure Island (1883) and Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book (1894) became great hits. G. A. Henry’s historical adventure novels for boys were very popular at the height of the British Empire. These novels were always about young boys who witness grand historical events and get involved in some military action.The Novel Comes to India:
The modem novel developed in India in the 19th century, once the Western novels were introduced. Many Indian authors initially tried to translate the English novels but they apparently did not enjoy doing that. Later many of them decided to write novels in their own language and on their own social background.Some of the earliest novels in India were written in Bengali and Marathi. Baba Padmanji’s Yamuna Paryatan (1857) was the earliest Marathi novel. This was followed by Miiktamala by Lakshman Moreshar Halbe (1861).
Leading novelists of the nineteenth century wrote to develop a modem literature of the country. They wanted to produce a sense of national belonging and cultural equality with their colonial masters.
Novel in South India:
O. Chandu Menon wrote the first Malayalam novel Indulekha in 1889. Kandukuri Viresalingam (1848-1919) wrote the Telugu novel Rajasekhara Caritamu in 1878.The Novel in Hindi:
Bharatendu Harishchandra was the pioneer of modern Hindi literature. The first proper novel in Hindi was written by Srinivas Das of Delhi. It was titled Pariksha Gum and was published in 1882. This novel highlights the pitfalls of blind copying of the western culture and advocates preserving the traditional Indian culture. The characters in this novel attempt to bridge the western and the eastern world and try to make a balance between the two cultures. The writings of Devaki Nandan Khatri created a novel-reading public in Hindi. Chandrakanta was his best-seller. This novel is believed to have immensely contributed in popularizing the Hindi language and the Nagari script among the educated classes of that time.Premchand and his writings:
The Hindi novel achieved excellence with the writing of Premchand. He began to write in Urdu and later shifted to Hindi. He took a leaf from the traditional art of kissa- goi (storytelling). Simple language was the hallmark of his writings. Moreover, he portrayed people from all sections of the society. In many of his writings, the main character belonged to oppressed classes.Novels in Bengal:
Durgeshnandini (1865) was written by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and this novel was much appreciated for its literary excellence. The initial Bengali novels used a colloquial style associated with urban life. Meyeli, the language associated with women’s lingo was also used in those novels. But Bankim’s prose was Sanskritised and contained a more vernacular style.Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay became a novelist of universal appeal in all parts of India. He was a straight forward supporter of armed rebellion against British in his novel Pather Dabi (1926).