Timeline of selected significant
cultural dates in the later Nineteenth Century
Here, you can scroll through (mostly) a series of pictures with captions which illustrate some of the most important dates in the second half of the nineteenth century, in the Western world at least. I have made this in order to aid students taking my UK Modern & Contemporary Literature Course at Tsurumi University. You need to check through these carefully: they mostly concern the birth and death of significant cultural figures, or the publication of important works. Think of this as a first step into your exploration of the world of the nineteenth century. It may seem like a long time ago, but culture today is still very profoundly affected and shaped by the whos and the whats of the 19th C. Finding out more will help your understanding of the literature of the UK and Ireland. Please contact me if you find any errors, or if you have any further questions.
1845-1851 The Great Famine in Ireland
A terrible time in Irish history when the potato crop failed, and millions died or emigrated to other countries. Rural people flocked to the cities, in which the native language of Irish (Gaelic) was not spoken, due to British colonialism. Britain had a policy of laissez faire at this time, and historically are seen as doing very little to help Ireland during the famine. 'The 1841 census showed that there were 8,175,124 people living in the four provinces of Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster. Only 40 years later at the 1881 census, this figure had fallen by over 3 million to 5,174,836'.
1848
1851
1856
1859:
Arthur Conan Doyle is born, later to become the creator of Sherlock Holmes, the world’s most famous detective...
1860
1861
The American Civil War begins. It ends in 1865. date of Lincoln's famous 'Gettysburg Address': ’Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal..’ The picture depicts The Battle of Gettysburg (1863, a turning point of war).
1862
1863
1865
Rudyard Kipling is born. To become one of England’s most popular writers, and Nobel Prize-winner. He wrote 'The Jungle Book', which was made into a successful animated film by Disney many years later. He is not so popular now as he once was because of the implicit endorsement in his stories and poems of the British Empire. But no-one would say that he wasn't a good story-teller.
1867
Sakamoto Ryoma (born 1836) is assassinated in Japan. Huge change was happening in Japan, with the opening up of the country to world trade. You might say that Ryoma was born into a kind of medieval period in Japan, but helped to create, though his actions and decisions, a truly modern Japan. (Commodore Perry arrived in Yokohama in 1853, with his Black Ships. It was an event which signalled the beginning of the ending of Japan's period of isolation.)
1869
1870
1871
Edward Lear publishes 'Nonsense Songs and Stories'. This picture illustrates The Owl and the Pussycat, a great little story poem. Nonsense poems remained popular long after the nineteenth century. John Lennon loved them, and was influenced by work by Lear and others in the composition of his lyrics.
Marcel Proust is born, later to become one of France’s most important novelists, and a major figure in Modernist literature and thought (dies in 1922). In his novel, 'Remembrance of Things Past', there is great focus on the characters’ psychology. It is said that Marcel Proust once met James Joyce. Yet, the only conversation they had, these two giants of modern literature, was very short, and maybe only a greeting, or some words about the weather...
1872
1874
Winston Churchill is born, later to become Prime Minister of England as Nazi Germany waged war. He was active in both WWI and WWII. His resolution to fight on and his speeches, broadcast by radio, helped to inspire England to battle against the Nazi threat. He was also a writer, and received the Nobel Prize for Literature after WWII.
German composer Richard Wagner (1813–1883) wrote 'Der Ring des Nibelungen' (The Ring of the Nibelung), a cycle of four epic operas. The works are based loosely on ancient Norse literature. The are often referred to as 'The Ring Cycle', Wagner's 'Ring', or simply 'The Ring'. Wagner started writing the operas in 1848 and ended his mammoth work in 1874. His musical vision is deeply dramatic and highly spectaular.
1876
1877
Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) publishes the play 'Pillars of Society'. Ibsen, from Norway, will be seen as a major figure in the creation of modernist theatre, and be loved by James Joyce for his realism, his literary stance of confronting the dishonesties and inequalities and pious moralities of society. He is considered by some to be the best playwright in the world, after Shakespeare. Some of his work is adpated for music, like 'Peer Gynt'.
1878
1879
Henrik Ibsen's play 'A Doll's House' is performed for the first time. This play has much to say on the position of women in society, and their lack of freedom.
1880
1881
1882
In Dublin, Ireland, James Joyce is born, one of the greatest writers ever, certainly a major figure in Irish literature and an icon of Modernist literature. He died in 1941. His 'Ulysses' was published in 1922; some people say it changed the novel forever. His book of short stories, 'Dubliners' (1914) is easier to read, and is often taught at under-graduate level. It also contains much of Joyce's very best work, like 'The Dead'.
1883
Friedrich Nietzsche publishes his philosophical novel Also Sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra). This philiosophical novel discusses many fundamental topics, among them, man's place in the huge scheme of the cosmos and the idea that God is unnecessary. (This book inspired Richard Strauss (1864-1949) to compose a piece with the same name, that is now very famous as the theme of Stanley Kubrick’s movie: '2001: A Space Odyssey'.)
Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) publishes 'Treasure Island', the classic pirate adventure novel. This book helped to create the modern image of the pirate, and inspired numerous other writers and, later, movie directors. Disney's 'Pirates of the Caribbean' is greatly indebted to this book in many ways. There are many ways in which we can see this book as 'modern': the charcter of the main pirate, Long John Silver, is complex. He is what will lated be called 'an anti-hero', a character who has both a very admirable side, and a dark side, too. Indeed, this idea was important in the creation of the character of Captain Jack Sparrow.
German Composer Richard Wagner dies.
1884
Mark Twain publishes 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn', which is one of American literature’s greatest novels ever. It is also still regarded as controversial because the ‘N’ word is used all the way through. Huck uses this word to describe his black slave friend, Jim. As Twain used it, it reflected the common usage of the time and has special meaning in relation to the story.
1885
Ezra Pound is born, Modernist poet and literary confidant and helper of T S Eliot and James Joyce. He is considered as a highly important figure in the Modernist movement for his active assistence of many writers. His own poetry is very challenging; interestingly, he uses lots of Chinese kanj, which certainly make his poems look extremely distinctive.
Victor Hugo, writer of Les Misérables and Notre Dame de Paris (Hunchback of Notre Dame) dies. It is a sad time in France. His funeral was as enormous as one of his books.
French writer Emile Zola publishes 'Germinal', a novel in a realistic style, depicting workers (coalminers’ harsh conditions and life). This style of writing can be seen as properly modern because it tackles current social problems in an uncompromising way, showing lots of ugly detail. Zola may be seen as developing a tradition of writing begun by Hugo.
H. Rider Haggard publishes 'King Solomon’s Mines', an adventure story. The main character is called Allan Quartermain, a big game hunter, something of an inspiration for Spielberg’s Indiana Jones. (But Quatermain is much older than Indy when he started.) Haggard apparently wrote this novel after having read Stevenson's 'Treasure Island': basically, he said he could write a more exciting novel ! (It is very good!)
1886
1888
T S Eliot is born, an American by birth, but chose to live in England, with English tastes and accent. Seen by many as one of the most important poets of the twentieth century. He wrote 'The Wasteland' in 1922, a major milestone in modern literature. Coincidentally, this was the same year Joyce's 'Ulysses' was published. One more thing... although T S is famous for very serious poetry, he also once wrote a book of poems for children called 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats', which became the basis for the long-running musical 'Cats'.
T E Lawrence is born, who became ‘Lawrence of Arabia’. He dies in 1935.
1889
Ibsen’s play 'The Doll House' is performed in England. Translations of his work are increasing. After a few years, James Joyce will read his work, and be influenced forever in how to think about literature.
1890
1891
Charles Stewart Parnell (born 1846) dies. Irish Nationalist politician, Leader of the Irish Parliamentary Party. He was seen as Ireland's greatest hope to attain independence for Ireland, at least in the form of Home Rule. His downfall was caused by growing opposition to his relationship with a married woman, Katherine O'Shea. The country was divided over this matter, with some seeing it as a case of religion and Victorian values destroying Ireland's political hopes. John Joyce saw it that way, and was incensed when Parnell died. His son, James, was only nine years old, but, through his father, was also affected by this national crisis. James Joyce, aged 9, wrote his first literary piece, a poem on the traitors who killed Parnell. From this moment on, Joyce would begin to see Ireland as a country which could destroy its hero through their attachment to the Church and the values of the Church. Parnell is often referred to as 'Ireland's Uncrowned King'. It might be noted, however, that things were a little more complicated than they sound. Parnell was a very proud man. He might have navigated this crisis if he had stepped down temporarily, but he didn't want to do that. The loss of Parnell would lead many to despair about the chances of Ireland ever achieving independence. It created a vacuum in Irish life and its aspirations toward nationhood. Some say this is one of the reasons that the Celtic Renaissance happened, with culture stepping in as a substitute for politics, as a way for people to express their Irishness. Anyway, Charles Stewart Parnell's fall resonated for years throughout Ireland.
1893
1894
Aldous Huxley (d.1963) is born. He will later become an important writer and publish the novel 'Brave New World' in 1932. This is about a dystopian future, where people are controlled like machines. This novel will help to inspire George Orwell (1903-1950) to write his dystopian novel, 1984 (published in 1948 !). He will also experiment with psychodelic substances, and write 'The Doors of Perception' about his experiences. This will inspire Jim Morrison in the the 60s to call his music group The Doors.
1895
1896
1897
1898
1899
1899 (to 1902)
The (Second) Boer War. A guerilla campaign by the Boers (Dutch settlers in South Africa) caused many problems for the British. It was seen by some as a sign that the British Empire had weaknesses, or that its colonies could sometimes cause many problems. The British military campaign was harsh and even cruel. The British used 'concentration camps'. It was not a good way to end one century and start a new one.
1900
Oscar Wilde dies.
The Twentieth Century begins.
The Twentieth Century begins.
1901
H G Wells publishes 'The First Men in the Moon'.
Iconic French painter Toulouse-Lautrec dies
1902
Beatrix Potter publishes 'The Tales of Peter Rabbit'. She couldn’t get a job as a professional naturalist, even though she was highly talented as an artist and knowledgable about nature, because she was a woman. So, she used her artistic talent, and by accident, almost, became the creator of one of the most popular series of children's books ever.
Joseph Conrad (1857-1924) publishes 'The Heart of Darkness', a short novel about a journel upriver in colonial Congo. The book can be read as a critique of British colonialism, where black people are second-class citizens in their own country, seen as inferior to whites. (In the far-future, 1979, Francis Ford Coppola will make a movie about the Vietnam War, called 'Apocalypse Now', loosely based upon this book.) Conrad can be considered a British writer, but he was born in Poland and spoke with an accent. He is considered an important novelist of the 20th century.
1903
Eric Blair is born. He will later re-name himself as George Orwell, and become one of England's, and the world's, most important writers. Most famous, perhaps, is his dystopian novel, 1984 (written in 1948 !), about a future-world in which people have no freedom and Big Brother watches everyone. This novel helped to inspire Japanese writer Haruki Murakami to write 1Q84 recently.