02188cam a22003013u 4500 14469 UtSlPG 20260610133336.0 m cr n 260607r2004||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PR Saintsbury, George, 1845-1933 The English Novel Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2004 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Release date is 2004-12-26 Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Riikka Talonpoika and the PG Online Distributed Proofreading Team "The English Novel" by George Saintsbury is a scholarly work that delves into the history and development of the English novel, composed during the early 20th century. This exploration examines the roots and evolution of prose fiction in English literature from its early forms, foundational romances, and significant figures up until the end of the 19th century, outlining the literary progress through various periods and styles. The opening of the book establishes the context of English prose fiction's development, highlighting the relative lateness of its emergence in Western literature compared to poetry. Saintsbury introduces the concept that the literary tradition of prose fiction has deep roots in romance, citing various classical and earlier English texts while critically analyzing their narratives and structures. He goes on to delineate how these foundational romances not only served as a precursor to modern novels but also laid the groundwork for character and plot development, reflecting a gradual shift from poetry to prose, and setting the stage for a comprehensive exploration of the English novel's progression through various significant authors and their contributions. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified English fiction -- History and criticism https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/14469 55857 55857