RISE AND DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH NOVEL
Introduction The rise of the novel in the eighteenth century led to its evolution into various forms, including historical novels, picaresque novels, gothic novels, sentimental novels, epistolary novels, and stream of consciousness novels. Each of these sub-genres has its unique characteristics and contributions to the literary world. Historical novels transport readers to a different time and place by drawing on historical settings, manners, characters, and events. Sir Walter Scott is credited as a proponent of this genre, with examples like "Ivanhoe," "War and Peace," and "Gone with the Wind." Picaresque novels are episodic narratives that follow the adventures of an anti-hero as they journey through various encounters and situations. Notable examples include Fielding's "Joseph Andrews," Defoe's "Moll Flanders," and Dickens' "Oliver Twist." Gothic novels blend elements of romanticism and horror, ofte...