NOVEL (INTRODUCTION, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT).

F.Y.B.A. (ENGLISH)                                                      

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NOVEL.

A novel is an impression, not an argument. - Thomas Hardy.

 

Introduction.

A novel can be described broadly as a work of prose fiction that dramatises life via the use of people and settings. It depicts some facet of human experiences and produces a realistic, often interesting mood. Narrative prose is intended to entertain while also telling a story. It is a narrative about a series of events that contains a cast of characters, a setting, and a conclusion. Depending on the genre, most publishers like novels between 80,000 and 120,000 words long. Anything less than that is referred to as a "novella". Again, a novel can be a thousand or so pages long, and some are published in multiple volumes. However, these are exceptions.

A novel is written in prose, yet the prose is often handled so gently by authors that the language gains lyrical beauty. That is why many novels are referred to as "poetic." The majority of this literature is written in prose; however, this is not mandatory and there may be exceptions. 'The Golden Gate' by Vikram Seth is written in verse. A novel is prose "fiction," which means it is a fictitious story. It is life-like despite being unreal or fictitious.

A novel "dramatises" everyday life. This means that the details, settings, and personalities are all based on real individuals. They act, react, struggle, suffer, and triumph in the same way as we do in real life. When a novel engages the reader and inspires him to identify with it, it is considered outstanding or successful. The author achieves this by portraying life, human relationships, and human qualities and weaknesses in a clear and sincere manner.The novel is a longer narrative that differs from the short story. A short tale is more focused and does not have as much room to develop characters and situations, whereas a novel does because of its length.

Novels give us insight into several facets of human existence, such as the human mind, social and familial relationships, and life philosophy.

- Mulk Raj Anand.

The novel is a perfect medium for revealing to us the changing rainbow of our living relationship.

- D.H. Lawrence.

Etymology of the term “Novel”.

The name "novel" is derived from the Latin word "novus," which means "new." This word came to the Italian language from Latin. The phrase 'Novella Storia' means 'New Story' in Italian. The English term "novel" is derived from the Italian "novella," which means "a little new thing." Novels can be read for both enjoyment and education.

 

Growth and Development of Novel.

Literature was largely composed in poetic style in the beginning. The novel is written in the form of prose. The novel's origins can be traced back to 14th and 15th century French Romances. Malory's 'Morte d Arthur (1470)', written in prose, is a renowned English Romance that tells the narrative of King Arthur and his Knights.

The novel's origins can be traced back to Boccassio's Italian stories. He authored a collection of stories called 'Decameron' in the 14th century. Geoffrey Chaucer, a well-known 14th-century poet, produced both poetry and prose. Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales' provides 24 stories which contains two stories in prose, namely, 'Tale of Melibeus'and 'Parson's Tale'. Character, story, dialogue, and conflict were introduced in his 'Canterbury Tales' and were prominent parts of the novel.

Early novels in English.

'Oroonoko', a brief work of fiction by Aphra Behn, is also regarded as the earliest effort at novel writing in English. Some scholars and critics consider Daniel Defoe's 'Robinson Crusoe (1719)' to be the first novel in English literature. It appeared to be a chronicle of genuine events rather than a work of fiction. 

Other major 18th-century English novelists are Samuel Richardson (1689–1761), author of the epistolary novels 'Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded (1740)' and 'Clarissa (1747–48)'. Henry Fielding (1707–1754), who wrote 'Joseph Andrews (1742)' and 'The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling (1749)'; Laurence Sterne (1713–1768), who published “Tristram Shandy.”

Romantic Period.

Mary Shelley's novel ‘Frankenstein (1818)’, as another important Gothic novel as well as being an early example of science fiction. Among more minor novelists in this period Maria Edgeworth (1768–1849),Thomas Love Peacock (1785–1866), John William Polidori. Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" (1847) is a well-known romance book.

Victorian Novel.

The Brontë sisters were other significant novelists in the 1840s and 1850s. Charlotte Bronte’s 'Jane Eyre', Emily Bronte’s 'Wuthering Heights' and Anne Bronte’s 'Agnes Grey'. Later, Anne Bronte’s 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848)' and Charlotte Bronte’s 'Villette (1853)' were published. Elizabeth Gaskell was also a successful writer and first novel, 'Mary Barton', was published anonymously in 1848.

20^th Century Novel.

The major novelists writing in Britain at the start of the 20th century were an Irishman James Joyce (1882–1941) and two immigrants, American Henry James (1843–1916) and Joseph Conrad (1857–1924). Another significant modernist in the 1920 was Virginia Woolf (1882–1941), who was an influential feminist and a major stylistic innovator associated with the stream-of-consciousness technique. Her novels include 'Mrs Dalloway (1925)', 'To the Lighthouse (1927)', and 'The Waves (1931)'. A significant English writer in the 1930s and 1940s was George Orwell (1903–50), who is especially remembered for his satires of totalitarianism, 'Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949)' and 'Animal Farm (1945)'.

Contemporary Novels.

Martin Amis, Pat Barker, Ian McEwan, Zadie Smith, Julian Barnes were the most prominent of contemporary British novelists. Martin Amis (1949 to 2023), best-known novels are ‘Money (1984)’ and ‘London Fields (1989)’. Pat Barker (born 1943) has won many awards for her fiction.