An exploration study into the fictionalisation of educational theory and practice in Victorian novels.

Abstract

This article is an exploration into how Victorian writers portray education in their novels. The content of syllabi as well as details of how children were taught in different schools, using different educational ideologies is not the focus of this article. This article will illustrate how Charles Dickens and Thomas Hughes represent education differently although they were writing during the same period. Dickens’ Hard Times, henceforth referred to as HT, was first published in 1854 and Hughes’ Tom Brown’s school Days, henceforth TB, was first published in 1857.The article refers to a range of Victorian writers but Charles Dickens’ Hard Times and Thomas Hughes’ Tom Brown’s School Days are the main focus.