The Study of Will in Nineteenth- Century Literature

Abstract

Posits that in any age artists’ ideas about will (or free will) influence their work, if only indirectly. Offers synopses of other critics’ views of will in nineteenth-century writers, principally novelists. Argues it is necessary to look beyond literary sources to identify the influences on the Victorians’ attitudes toward will. Cites not only philosophers but also scientists and psychologists as major influences on Victorian thought about the subject. Concludes with a brief analysis of Arnold’s ideas about will.