Examples of Bildungsromans, Coming-of-Age Novels

Examples of Bildungsromans, Coming-of-Age NovelsExamples of Bildungsromans, Coming-of-Age NovelsIf youre a writer, then chances are youveread some classic novels in your time. If so, without knowing it, youveread a bildungsroman. A bildungsroman is a novel that traces the development of a character from childhood to adulthood, through a quest for identity that leads him or her to maturity. The term bildungsroman comes from the German for formation novel, or education novel and most often focuses on the trials and misfortunesthat affect thecharacters growth. Typically (but notlage always) a character in a bildungsroman feels alienated and alone but ends on a positive note with thecharacter feeling a sense of self-realization. While youre probably not familiar with the termbildungsroman, you are familiar with the term coming-of-age novel which is used interchangeably withbildungsroman. Although literature is filled with many examples of a bildungsroman two prime examples to look at in clude,David Copperfield written by Charles Dickens in 1850 and Jane Eyre written by Charlotte Bronte in 184. Lets look at both and see how the characters developover time. David Copperfield The story follows the life of David Copperfield from childhood to maturity. David is born in England, six months after the death of this father. His mother re-marries when David is seven, and soon afterwardDavid is sent to a boarding school run by a ruthless headmaster Mr. Crakle. David suffers at the hands of Mr. Crakle and decides to run away and goes to live with a kind great-aunt who pities David and ultimately raises him. She also sends him to a better boarding school in Dover where he meetsAges, the daughter of a landlord David happens to be renting a room from. David manages to completeschool, become a proctor, learns shorthand, joins a newspaper and ultimately finds fame and fortune as an author, writing fiction. He also finds true happiness when his unhappy marriage ends when his (y oung) bride dies, and David seeks out (and marries) Agnes, his true love. Jane Eyre Jane Eyre is not only of the firstfemale bildungsroman novels it is one of the finest and earliest examples of thegenre. This novel tells the story of an orphaned governess who earns the chance to be a great lady. Jane values equality, and personal dignityabove all other social advantages and her banter with leading men reveals her indomitable spirit behind one described in the beginning as so poor, obscure, plain, and little.