Wanted: Soppy Victorian fiction

[elaby]

I'm in the mood for some soppy Victorian fiction, preferably involving meaningful friendship between men, though that can be secondary to the plot. Things I like which I put under this category are The Moonstone and Dracula. A Passage to India is somewhat less soppy and Victorian, but the same principle holds. Preferably, there will be angst.

Anyone want to recommend something to me?

[Edit 5:16: As one might have guessed, this being posted during at-work time, caitirin posted it for me. She also tagged it for me.

I am SO going back and finding everything in which I squeed about angsty Victorian literature with that tag. *off to find her Franklin Blake/Ezra Jennings fanfic*]

Comments

[kniblet.livejournal.com]

David Copperfield has some interesting male friendships. It also has the advantage of being both soppy and incredibly funny.

There are also some great male characters in A Room with A View, although that was Edwardian.

And my latest Victorian discovery (via Simon who heard about it from Jasper Fforde) -- Three men in a Boat, by Jerome K. Jerome. Brilliantly funny! But not especially soppy.

[dibsy.livejournal.com]

I didn't hear about it from Jasper Fforde. I heard about the origins of it from him. Y'little bugger.

[kniblet.livejournal.com]

It's a subtle distinction.

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Oooh, thank you! I'll check all of those out :)

[materia-indigo.livejournal.com]

If Edwardian will do, pretty much anything by E.M. Forster. You've read Maurice, haven't you?

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Edwardian will SO do. And I haven't, but I need to, because why the heck haven't I?! *loves Passage to India*

Maurice

[materia-indigo.livejournal.com]

It's such a shame he wasn't able to publish it while he was still alive. It's a beautiful book.

Re: Maurice

[elaby.livejournal.com]

I totally have to read it! Thanks for reminding me :)

[merrick42.livejournal.com]

More post-Victorian of course, but I really like reading the Wooster and Jeeves books by Wodehouse.

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Post is fine :) I'm not too positive on what actually counts as "Victorian" anyway. Thanks for the recommendation, I've heard good things about those :)

[kniblet.livejournal.com]

Victorian refers to the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). Edwardian refers to the reign of her son, Edward VII (1901-1910).

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Ah, thank you for the dates! Those were the things I didn't know. Pre-Victoria would be... what? Jane Eyre is around there, isn't it? I can't remember. *bad lit student*

[kniblet.livejournal.com]

No idea. Consulting Wikipedia reveals that Victoria inherited the throne from her uncle, William IV. Other than Elizabethan and Georgian (which George?) I don't know of any other eras.

Jane Eyre was published in 1847, so Victorian.

[elaby.livejournal.com]

I can't think of much that I know of that was written in the early 1800's. I missed the era between 1700 and 1830 in all of my lit classes.

[kniblet.livejournal.com]

The only one that comes to mind is Jane Austen.

I looked up Georgian: It included Goerges I, II, III and IV (1714-1830). Ans sometimes William IV (1830-1837).

Elizabethan was 1558-1603. Still no idea what came in between.

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Well, I know that after Elizabethan comes, er, the word for James's time. Jacobean! That's it. Then after him was Charles I and II, but I don't think they call the era anything. After Charles II, I'm not sure ^^;;

[kniblet.livejournal.com]

The ever helpful Wikipedia lists Jacobean as 1603-1625, followed by Caroline (for Charles I, 1625-42). Then there was the English Civil War (1642–1651) and the English Interregnum (1651–1660)--a period of parliamentary and military rule--followed by Charles II.

I think that's it for named eras until the Georges.

Wow, that was a pretty educational afternoon. :)

[elaby.livejournal.com]

Ooh, awesome! Thank you! *laughs* Caroline? Poor Charleses.