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Period: to
Children's Literature in the 1800s
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The Development of the Concept of Childhood
The 1800s saw the development of the concept of childhood, that is a definite period of development between the age of physical dependence (or infancy) and adulthood. The concept of childhood began to change during the 19th century and by the end of the Victorian era the sphere of 'childhood' was viewed by the middle class as quite separate from that of the adult world. -
Issues presented in the literature
Many religious American parents and educators associated fairytales uneducated and unsophisticated. They though it was not beneficial to their children’s education, which they wanted focused on being rational and well-informed. As childhood came to be more valued in the nineteenth century, children’s books became more respectful towards the child and imagination and less directly didactic. -
The Grimm Brothers
The brothers took old folk tales and legends and edited them for publishing. They are responsible for making the stories what they are today and as well-known and liked as they are. They began collecting pieces in 1807 before releasing the books in 1812. With each new edition, the brothers polished up the stories, changing words here and there and making it fit to what they wanted them to be. -
"Grimm's Fairy Tales"
"Grimm's Fairy Tales" is written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm and is a collection of 209 German Fairy Tales. The book was written for children but many found it inappropriate because of the violence. Some fairy tales in this book include: "Rapunzel", "Hansel and Gretel", "Cinderella", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Sleeping Beauty" and "Snow White". -
Lewis Carroll
Carroll was born in England in the year 1832. Most popular for his novel "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and he became famous for his poem "solitude". Carroll was known to suffer from a stammer although he spoke very well while talking with children and it was his daughter who is credited as inspiration for his most fmaous piece. By the time of his death in 1898, "Alice" was the most popular book for children in England. -
Horatio Alger Jr.
Born on January 13 of 1832, Horatio was an author of formulaic juvenile novels for boys: his pieces often centered around a young man who rises from a modest background through determination, honesty and hardwork- many think he modeled his characters after his self. His most popular novel is "Ragged Dick" and he had a resurgence in popularity until 1920 though his books are no longer published. -
Victorian Age
Victorian children's literature reflected the culture's separate spheres for men and women with different types of books written for girls and boys. Stories for girls were often domestic and celebrated the family life, such as Alcott's Little Women or Kate Douglas Wiggin's Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1903). Stories for boys, such as MARK TWAIN's: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) encouraged boys to have adventures. -
Victorian Age (continued)
While Victorian children's literature developed the character of the good and bad boy, female characters were allowed less flexibility. Girls were encouraged to read moralistic and domestic fiction such as Charlotte Yonge's The Daisy Chain(1856) and the extremely popular girls' school stories by L. T. Meade, begun with The World of Girls(1886). Animal tales, such as Anna Sewell's Black Beauty (1877) and Kipling's The Jungle Book (1894) were thought to appeal to both sexes. -
Laws for childrens
In all or most advanced countries laws were passed from about 1843 on forbidding or at least restricting child labour in factories and mines. More generally, there was a growing sense that children were delicate and vulnerable, and needed protecting from the harsher aspects of adult life. Penalties for children breaking the law changed, with the emphasis shifting to reform. -
Picture books
This period also saw the emergence of the picture book, in which the illustrations—and the artist's vision—were at least as important as the text. Until the mid-nineteenth century most books were printed in black-and-white. After mid-century color printing was prevalent in children's books, though many artists preferred the more reliable methods of black-and-white printing until the 1870s. -
The Second Half of the 19th century
The second half of the nineteenth century saw an explosion of children's literature, both in terms of quantity and quality. Children's literature historically has been more open to women as authors and illustrators because it has been considered less significant than adult literature and because publishers have regarded women as more capable of teaching and raising children. -
Louisa May Alcott
Born November 29 1832, Louisa started as an adult novelist and after good feedback on her childrens stories- stuck to only childrens stories resulting in the publishing of her well known novel "LIttle Women". Alcott is also well known for her candid and modern take on womens issues. For a while she went under the penname of A.M.Barnard. She began to become known for her writing in the 1860's. -
Christina Rosetti
Most famous piece of work is "Goblin Market and Other Poems"(1862) which established her as the main poet of the time. Her most popular piece is called "Speaking Likeness" which was published in 1874 and well recieved. -
"Little Women"
"Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott tells the story of four sisters growing up during the Civil War and follows their lives at school, in their community, and their friendships. The book was followed by "Good Wives" since it was so successful. -
Reliable methods of black-and-white printing
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"Black Beauty"
"Black Beauty" by Anna Sewell is a story told completely by the point of view of a horse as he goes on adventures, meets other animals, and has new owners. -
"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"
"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain is the story of a boy living in Mississippi. This book was followed by two sequels: "Tom Sawyer Abroad" in 1894 and "Tom Sawyer, Detective" in 1896. -
"Treasure Island"
"Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson is an adventure story. It was a main influence for pirate stereotypes such as: treasure maps marked with an X, the 'Black Spot', and pirates having one foot and a parrot on their shoulder. -
"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn"
"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" by Mark Twain is another sequel to "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". Huckleberry Finn is a close friend of Tom Sawyer. This book shows Southern society and is now considered controversial for its language, particularly racial slurs.
