Regency vs. Victorian literature and how to write (and research) a historical novel?

Question

I am thinking about writing a historical novel that takes place in Victorian England; I've been reading a lot of Jane Austen (Regency writer) and I've already read one book each from the Bronte sisters as well as three books from Elizabeth Gaskell (all Victorian era writers).

My degree is in history but I never took a course in Brit. history (school never offered it; I do know some of it from Western Civ. coursework) and I'm learning this on my own.  Are both types of literature basically the same (e.g. mannerisms, dialogue)?  Are there any differences other than time periods?

And how long would it take to research for a historical novel?  I have the characters and the plot that I need.  I want to start writing it ASAP because I'm itching to go, but I do need to do my homework first.  Is it okay to outline and do character sketches?  Doing the historical research is no problem for me.

I've pretty much surrounded myself with books when it comes to researching for my novel but I can't afford to travel outside of the country to visit British libraries.  Is it entirely possible to research for a historical novel entirely over the Internet?

I appreciate feedback.  Thanks.  And no spammers, please.

dontpanic · Accepted Answer

Regency and Victorian novels have quite a lot of overlap, but the Victorian era is the ful realisation of the industrial revolution and contrast between the traditional values of the Regency period and the roots of the Modernists that would come after the First World War.

Personally, I think the Victorian era is more fascinating to write about because of all these changes. Last year I studied the Victorians from a historical and literary perspective, and it gave me inspiration for my novel. The reading you've done so far sounds great, try looking at newspapers like Punch [usually satirical] that deal with issues like suffrage, colonialisation and and industry. The literature of Regency I think sticks to traditional structure and is ground in conservatism, whereas during the Victorian era you have the second generation Romantic poets who acted liberally against society's traditional views on propriety.

Whilst not a favourite of mine, Dickens really gives you a great feel of the Victorian era. Skimming through Thackeray's Vanity Fair will help you understand Regency written about in the Victorian era.

The Regency texts are usually more concerned with the Napoleonic wars, whereas Victorian texts explore the changes to society and deal with the Crimean and Boer Wars and laying the political groundwork for the First World War.

I think if you sumerge yourself in contemporary texts and continue to selectively read historical sources you should have plenty of research. What I found difficult was cutting down the research material, keeping it organised and relevant. So perhaps for now read as much as you can about it, and then later select what is relevant to your novel and make notes about those areas. Then you can use those in your story, making sure you envoke a sense of the era without overloading the reader with historical information.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to message me. This is such a fascinating topic and I'd love to discuss it more if you want.

:')

Regency vs. Victorian literature and how to write (and research) a historical novel?

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