Exploring Themes industrialization and utilitarianism in “ Hard Times”

industrialization and
utilitarianism

1. Exploring Themes industrialization and utilitarianism in “ Hard Times” PREPARE BY: JAY MARUNIYA

2. Personal Information: Name: Maruniya Jay BHARATBHAI Roll No: 23 Enrollment No:5108230027 Sem:1(M.A.) Batch: 2023-2025 Paper Name: Victorian Literature Submitted to: smt. S.B.Gardi, Department of English Dated on: 08/11/2023 Email: [email protected]

3. Table of contents: Introduction What is industrialization and utilitarianism? Industrialization in “ Hard Times” Utilitarianism in “ Hard Times” Societal consequences Contemporary context Conclusion References

4. Introduction: Dickens (1812–1870) published this ‘Hard times ’novel in 1854. His setting was a mythical place called Coketown, partly inspired by a visit to the Northern industrial town of Preston where he had observed a strike. Dickens was motivated by social concerns: he feared that industrialisation and ‘progress’ threatened to stunt human sympathies, forcing people into mechanistic social roles. He conveys what life was like in factory towns by blending documentary realism with imaginative grotesques and vivid, melodramatic elements. Thomas Gradgrind, a staunch advocate of rules and principles, has raised his children in a cold, loveless atmosphere. His Utilitarian philosophy is based upon rational self-interest. The text draws a marked contrast between Fact and Fancy – for the residents of Coketown, delight is found only in the entertainments provided by Sleary’s circus.

5. What is industrialization and utilitarianism? Industrialization: Industrialization is the process of transforming the economy of a nation or region from a focus on agriculture to a reliance on manufacturing. Mechanized methods of mass production are an essential component of this transition. Utilitarianism: Utilitarianism, in normative ethics, a tradition stemming from the late 18 th - and 19 th -century English philosophers and economists Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill according to which an action (or type of action) is right if it tends to promote happiness or pleasure and wrong if it tends to produce unhappiness or pain—not just for the performer of the action but also for everyone else affected by it.

6. Industrialization in ‘ Hard Times ’ In Hard Times Dickens sharply criticizes the poor living conditions of the working class in industrial towns. He Depicts Life In a fictive industrial town Coketown as a symbol for a typical industrial town in Northern England of that time. It is a place full of exploitation, desperation, and oppression. Soot and ash are all over the town; it is a dirty and suffocating place. The workers have low wages and work long hours. The work begins before sunrise, the production is important and there is noregard for the rights and suffering of the low class. Children in school are taught according to Utilitarianism Philosophy -they should accept and live according to facts and facts alone. In Coketown, machines cause great pollution. Industrial workers have no chance of progress in life. The upper-middle-class ignores their misery (Bounderby) and denies imagination and creativity (Gradgrind). Utilitarianism exerts the mechanization of society and the human mind.

7. Utilitarianism in ‘ Hard Times ’ Utilitarianism is the philosophy that leaves nothing to the imagination; everything is to be explained with the help of logic and facts. The goal of every individual should be to receive the most pleasure out of life. Utilitarianism intercedes for utility, well-being, and pleasure in life. From the beginning of the novel, Dickens introduces us to the utilitarian way of thinking. Gradgrind and Bounderby are the most outstanding representatives of the utilitarian philosophy. At the end of the story, when Louisa comes desperate for her father, Mr. Gradgrind says that he never knew she was unhappy; he wasn’t able to identify his child’s emotions.Everything he believed in is shattered, but he wants to make it up to Louisa. The whole system falls apart when Gradgrind loses confidence in it.

8. Societal consequences: In Charles Dickens’ novel “Hard Times,” the societal consequences of industrialization and utilitarianism are central themes. some key points regarding these consequences: Dehumanization of Workers Poor Working Conditions Educational Oppression Social Injustice Rebellion and Discontent “Hard Times” illustrates the negative consequences of industrialization and the strict adherence to utilitarianism, portraying a society where human values, emotions, and individuality are sacrificed in the pursuit of economic gain and efficiency.

9. contemporary context: Industrialization and utilitarianism have a complex and interconnected relationship in modern times. Utilitarianism is a moral and ethical philosophy that emphasizes the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Some point , they connected in modern time. Economic growth Environmental Impact Utilitarian policies Technological Advancements Industrialization and utilitarianism in modern times are interconnected through their impact on economic, social, and environmental aspects of society.

10. Conclusion: In hard times, Dickens with his total vision, his deep and whole experience, draws his Idea and his view toward the life during Industrialization and utilitarianism . In Hard Times, Dickens is subjective and influences the shaping of the reader’s opinion, he’s against the Utilitarian system, against egoism, and lack of imagination.

11. References: Coddington, Alan. “Utilitarianism Today.” Political Theory, vol. 4, no. 2, 1976, pp. 213–26. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/190630 JOHNSON, PATRICIA E. “‘HARD TIMES’ AND THE STRUCTURE OF INDUSTRIALISM: THE NOVEL AS FACTORY.” Studies in the Novel, vol. 21, no. 2, 1989, pp. 128–37. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/29532632 https://www.britannica.com/topic/utilitarianism-philosophy https://www.shanlaxjournals.in/pdf/ENG/V1N1/ENG_V1_N1_003.pdf

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