Time and the Moment in Victorian Literature and Society (Cambridge Studies in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Culture, Series Number 77)

Sudden changes, opportunities or revelations have always carried a special significance in western culture, from the Greek and later the Christian kairos to Evangelical experiences of conversion. This fascinating book explores the ways in which England, under the influence of industrializing forces and increased precision in assessing the passing of time, attached importance to moments and events that compress great significance into small units of time. Sue Zemka questions the importance that modernity invests in momentary events, from religion to aesthetics and philosophy. She argues for a strain in Victorian and early modern novels critical of the values the age invested in moments of time, and suggests that such novels also offer a correction to contemporary culture and criticism, with its emphasis on the momentary event as an agency of change. Sudden Changes, Opportunities Or Revelations Have Always Carried A Special Significance In Western Culture, From The Greek And Later The Christian Kairos To Evangelical Experiences Of Conversion. This Fascinating Book Explores The Ways In Which England, Under The Influence Of Industrialising Forces And Increased Precision In Assessing The Passing Of Time, Attached Importance To Moments And Events That Compress Great Significance Into Small Units Of Time. Sue Zemka Questions The Importance That Modernity Invests In Momentary Events, From Religion To Aesthetics And Philosophy. She Argues For A Strain In Victorian And Early Modern Novels Critical Of The Values The Age Invested In Moments Of Time, And Suggests That Such Novels Also Offer A Correction To Contemporary Culture And Criticism, With Its Emphasis On The Momentary Event As An Agency Of Change-- A Brief History Of The Moment -- The Economic Mediation Of Time -- Pie'd -- Dickens's Peripatetic Novels -- Adam Bede And The Redemption Of Time -- Daniel Deronda: Eliot's Anti-epiphanic Novel -- Panic In Lord Jim -- Conclusion: Lost Duration. Sue Zemka. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 263-278) And Index. "Sudden changes, opportunities or revelations have always carried a special significance in western culture, from the Greek and later the Christian kairos to Evangelical experiences of conversion. This fascinating book explores the ways in which England, under the influence of industrialising forces and increased precision in assessing the passing of time, attached importance to moments and events that compress great significance into small units of time. Sue Zemka questions the importance that modernity invests in momentary events, from religion to aesthetics and philosophy. She argues for a strain in Victorian and early modern novels critical of the values the age invested in moments of time, and suggests that such novels also offer a correction to contemporary culture and criticism, with its emphasis on the momentary event as an agency of change"-- Provided by publisher Cover 1 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Acknowledgements 7 Introduction 10 Chapter 1. A brief history of the moment 24 Chapter 2. The economic mediation of time 79 Chapter 3. Pie’d 101 Chapter 4. Dickens’s peripatetic novels 111 Chapter 5. Adam Bede and the redemption of time 131 Chapter 6. Daniel Deronda: Eliot’s anti-epiphanic novel 156 Chapter 7. Panic in Lord Jim 183 Conclusion. Lost duration 209 Notes 237 References 272 Index 288 Machine generated contents note: 1. A brief history of the moment; 2. The economic mediation of time; 3. Pie'd: the moment in mid-Victorian working-class fiction; 4. Dickens's peripatetic novels; 5. Adam Bede and the redemption of time; 6. Daniel Deronda: Eliot's anti-epiphanic novel; 7. Panic in Lord Jim; Conclusion: lost duration.