Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Semester of Degree Completion

2000

Thesis Director

Stephen Swords

Abstract

In my Thesis, I will investigate the dominant perceptions of work that spanned the Victorian Period. One of the most important authors of criticism dealing with work in the early part of the Victorian Period was Thomas Carlyle (1845). John Ruskin then became a counterpoint to Carlyle throughout the middle of the century (1862). And although he agreed with much of what Carlyle said, he brings new notions of work to the Victorian Period. William Morris then offered a completely different point of view on the issue of work at the latter part of the Victorian Period (1885). I will discuss the insights of Thomas Carlyle, John Ruskin and William Morris.

One of the most important authors of criticism dealing with work in the early part of the Victorian Period was Thomas Carlyle (1845). Carlyle's view of work appears to be rather conservative and rigid compared to later thinkers. John Ruskin then became a counterpoint to Carlyle throughout the middle of the century (1862). And although he agreed with much of what Carlyle said, he brings new notions of work to the Victorian Period. Unlike Carlyle, Ruskin introduces the notion of the worker 's feelings. However, readers will detect a conservative Carlyle hidden in Ruskin's words. William Morris then offered a completely different point of view on the issue of work at the latter part of the Victorian Period (1885). He discusses the workers necessary environment and we begin to see the worker as more of a human being and less of a machine. One cannot examine the Victorian period without discussing its impact on the thought patterns of the latter periods without considering Karl Marx. By reading Marx, readers can see the full impact that work and men like Carlyle and Ruskin had on the laborer’s life. A study of the social philosophy of Marx in correlation with the earlier Victorian thinkers will be compared and make clear to the readers how we have arrived to our view of work in the twentieth century.

A new-historical approach is the basis of this thesis. That is, this thesis is presented looking at both canonical and non-canonical texts from the historical perspectives of four prominent authors of the time and studies them within the social context of the Victorian period.

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