THESIS
Keywords:
From the mid-Victorian period, adventure fiction gained popularity, reflecting both the imaginative needs of young readers and broader cultural ideals.Abstract
The study of English children’s literature in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
reveals a rich interplay between social expectations, educational ideals, and literary
creativity. During this period, children’s reading was shaped not only by moral and
religious guidance but also by expanding commercial publishing and a growing
recognition of childhood as a distinct stage of life. Early works often aimed to instruct,
reflecting the belief that literature should shape character, while later developments
increasingly valued imagination, play, and emotional experience. Understanding these
changes requires attention to both the genres themselves and the social contexts in
which they flourished.
References
exploration remains a defining feature of children’s literature, highlighting its capacity
to reflect, shape, and expand cultural understanding of childhood.
