The Victorian novelists are commonly supposed to have been soft on the subject of death: 'one would need a heart of stone not to laugh at the death of Little Nell' is the best-known of literary criticisms. In fact, succeeding generations, while following Wilde's sneering direction, have generally misread or skipped the protracted death-scenes that multiply in Victorian fiction. If they do not amuse or embarrass, Colonel Newcome's weepy 'Adsum,' the Tullivers' 'In death they were not divided,' Jo's creaking cart, or Father Time's 'Done because we are too menny' are decently ignored as forgivable lapses.

LRB 18 April 1985 | PDF Download