Introduction
Welcome to the 19th-century British page! This section of the guide compiles sources that will aid in researching the literature of the British Empire during the Victorian era (1837-1901).
Where to start?
Common starting places for Victorian research are the resources in this box, where you will find a broad range of materials. They contain a wealth of information – so they can be overwhelming – but they can give you a feel for topics/areas of study in this time period.
Victorian Britain: An Encyclopedia by Publication Date: 1988Start with a good reference work on the period, such as Sally Mitchell’s Victorian Britain: An Encyclopedia, which can be found in Bracken library. This work serves as an accessible overview and point of entry for Victorian studies. It contains articles written about persons, events, institutions, topics, groups, and artifacts, and includes bibliographies to guide you in any further research.
- Victorian Research WebVictorian Research Web is a site whose purpose is to collect practical and pertinent information to assist scholars in navigating the field of Victorian Studies. It is focused on how to research and where to find information.
- Victorian WebVictorian Web contains brief reference entries on a vast number of Victorian authors and works as well as cultural issues. This website also contains some literary criticism.
Reference works
Reference works contain facts and background information about the topics you might like to study; this category includes items like encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, and more. The resources listed here are examples of reference works dedicated to Victorian studies.
Daily Life in Victorian England by Publication Date: 1996Sally Mitchell’s Daily Life in Victorian England is a collection of details about everyday life in Victorian society, including, but not limited to, social, economic, and legal information.
A Companion to Victorian Literature and Culture by Publication Date: 1999Literary companions, such as Herbert Tucker’s A Companion to Victorian Literature and Culture, provide historical and social context to 19th-century literature from a variety of scholars. His is just one example; there are several similar guides.
- Undisciplining the Victorian ClassroomUndisciplining the Victorian Classroom is a digital project that re-evaluates Victorian studies – specifically the British Empire – in relation to race. It is focused on teaching but provides a wealth of materials.
Primary source research
Primary sources are artifacts created during the time period under study. These documents are a great way to gain an understanding of the Victorian era. In addition to the resources listed on the general page of this research guide, here are other key resources to direct you to primary sources.
- One More VoiceOne More Voice is dedicated to compiling primary sources from non-white, non-European voices during the 19th century.
Victorian Women: A Documentary Account of women's Lives in Nineteenth-Century England, France, and the United States by Publication Date: 1981Victorian Women by Erna Olafson Hellerstein, Leslie Parker Hume, and Karen M. Offen is a collection of primary sources that help create an understanding of what it was like to be a women in the 19th century. It is one of several collections of Victorian era primary sources available in print formats at Bracken Library.
- Poole's Index to Periodical Literature (online reproduction at University of Pennsylvania)Poole’s Index to Periodical Literature is an index to 19th-century periodicals. It is available digitally, and Ball State University Libraries also has a print version (in Bracken Library’s General Collection, call number AI3 .P7 1963). Remember that Poole’s Guide is a finding aid for articles, not a collection of articles. This means that it will be useful in locating or identifying a source, but you will need to visit a separate database to find the text it refers to. To use the online version of the index, start navigating by clicking the link for the volume you need. It will take you to a scanned volume of the print version of Poole’s Index. From there you can either search the subject headings across the top of pages or click the magnifying glass on the left-hand side and enter your search term. Using this method, you can find listings telling you where to locate magazine and journal articles on your topic. After finding the listing for an article that you’d like to further examine, jot down the information given for identifying the source: an abbreviated journal title, the volume of the journal that contains the article, and the page number within the volume. Cross-reference the information found for the article with the list of abbreviations at the front of the guide to find the full title of the journal.
Secondary source research
In addition to the literary criticism databases listed on the General Resources page, the following can be useful.
- Victorian StudiesVictorian Studies is a journal accessible through several of University Libraries electronic databases. It is the flagship journal for the field. It provides interdisciplinary articles on the culture of the Victorian period.
- Victoria Listserv ArchivesVictoria ListServ Archives is an archive of a large online discussion group about Victorian and 19th-century topics. Essentially, this resource is a compilation of email threads that have gone out through the listserv (which you’re also able to sign up for on the website). You can look for specific terms with the search function at the top of the page or you can search by year and month and see what conversations were happening at that point in time.
Conferences
- The North American Victorian Studies AssociationThe North American Victorian Studies Association (NAVSA) is the flagship association of this field of research. The website has links to a large number of other Victorian organizations and conferences too.
- The Midwest Victorian Studies AssociationThe Midwest Victorian Studies Association is comprised of scholars, teachers, and students and operates similarly to NAVSA, but is held locally, sometimes within driving distance of Ball State.
- Interdisciplinary Nineteenth Century StudiesInterdisciplinary Nineteenth Century Studies (INCS) is a group dedicated to research that crosses academic disciplines. This conference deserves special mention because of its unique format: Attendees send in papers ahead of time and then meet to discuss the papers instead of presenting them aloud; attendees read the papers they are interested in beforehand.