Late Victorian Novel

The late Victorian Novel, whose primary incarnation was the realistic novel, reflected its social background: a moral and religious crisis, fomented by the demolition of preexisting standards and ideals, in part caused by the scientific discoveries and theories of the time, such as Charles Darwin's theory of evolution through natural selection. The evolutionist pattern in particular became central to the new organization of the novel: coincidences were a significant plot device which allowed a resolution of narrative intricacies, and as often shown in Hardy's and George Eliot's novels. The former predominantly had strong characters, representing the forces of nature and pitted to fight against the inevitable forces of history and human civilization. The latter dug deep within the psychological and moral sphere of his characters.

Another significant type of novel at this time was the psychological novel, pioneered by Stevenson's Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, in an attempt to capture the inner and most obscure side of the human mind and the illogical sides of life experiences. It tackles the subject of duality, not only the duality of man core to the entire narrative, but also the most contradictory aspects of his contemporary society.

In an age of great British imperialism, naturally Victorian literature featured some of the greatest examples of the influence of colonialism on literary prose, as is the case with Rudyard Kipling's novels and short stories, set in lands colonized by Britain. He legitimized the idea that it was the white man's duty to bring civilization and progress to the rest of the savage world.