INDUSTRIALIZATION AND MORAL DUALITY IN VICTORIAN FICTION
Keywords:
Victorian fiction, industrialization, moral duality, urbanization, class conflict, utilitarianism, Charles Dickens, Elizabeth Gaskell, Robert Louis Stevenson, literary analysis.Abstract
This article examines the representation of industrialization and moral duality in Victorian fiction. The Industrial Revolution, which reshaped nineteenth-century Britain, brought not only economic and technological transformation but also profound ethical tensions within society. Through analyses of Charles Dickens’s Hard Times, Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South, and Robert Louis Stevenson’s Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the study explores how Victorian authors portrayed the moral conflicts arising from urbanization, class inequality, and the rise of utilitarian thought. Industrial cities, harsh labor conditions, and fragmented identities serve as narrative spaces in which progress and corruption coexist. The article concludes that Victorian fiction reflects a complex moral landscape shaped by industrial modernity, emphasizing the need to balance material advancement with humanistic values.
