Testimony and Advocacy in Victorian Law, Literature, and Theology (Cambridge Studies in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture)

The eighteenth-century model of the criminal trial - with its insistence that the defendant and the facts of a case could'speak for themselves'- was abandoned in 1836, when legislation enabled barristers to address the jury on behalf of prisoners charged with felony. Increasingly, professional acts of interpretation were seen as necessary to achieve a just verdict, thereby silencing the prisoner and affecting the testimony given by eye witnesses at criminal trials. Jan-Melissa Schramm examines the profound impact of the changing nature of evidence in law and theology on literary narrative in the nineteenth century. Already a locus of theological conflict, the idea of testimony became a fiercely contested motif of Victorian debate about the ethics of literary and legal representation. She argues that authors of fiction created a style of literary advocacy which both imitated, and reacted against, the example of their storytelling counterparts at the Bar. Jan-melissa Schramm Examines The Profound Impact Of The Changing Nature Of Evidence In Law And Theology On Literary Narrative In The Nineteenth Century. Already A Locus Of Theological Conflict, The Idea Of Testimony Became A Fiercely Contested Motif Of Victorian Debate About The Ethics Of Literary And Legal Representation. She Argues That Authors Of Fiction Created A Style Of Literary Advocacy Which Both Imitated, And Reacted Against, The Example Of Their Story-telling Counterparts At The Bar.--jacket. Introduction : Justice And The Impulse To Narrate -- 1. Eye-witness Testimony And The Construction Of Narrative -- 2. The Origins Of The Novel And The Genesis Of The Law Of Evidence -- 3. Criminal Advocacy And Victorian Realism -- 4. The Martyr As Witness : Inspiration And The Appeal To The Intuition -- Conclusion. Jan-melissa Schramm. Based On The Author's Dissertation. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 225-240) And Index. This original and wide-ranging study shows how changing attitudes to evidence, trial and revelation in law and theology had a profound impact on literary narrative in the nineteenth century. Jan-Melissa Schramm, who is both a lawyer and a literary critic, argues that authors of fiction created a style of literary advocacy that both imitated, and reacted against, the example of their story-telling counterparts of the criminal Bar, and traces the ongoing debate over rules of evidence, eye-witness testimony and codes of ethical conduct that helped shape Victorian realism as a narrative form