“Your teaching will not save me:” Hard Times as a Critique of Utilitarianism through Louisa Gradgrind’s Repression and Failed Marriage.
Abstract
It’s difficult to overstate the impact that industrialization had on British society. This tumultuous change and the attempted digestion of its effects is pertinent in the literature of the day. A primary element of industrialization is materialism’s physical manifestation and the outworking of it in the world. Charles Dickens’s Hard Times (1854) is a novel that interrogates the rapid industrialization and its effects on society. Utilitarian materialism fueled industrialization in Britain, leading to an all-encompassing idea of accumulation exhibited in both the physical factories of the day, and the ideals present in English society. Authors during this time must contend with this reality and the promised “progress” of industrialization contrasted with elements of the world they inhabit. This thesis examines Hard Times and its portrayal of industrialization, investigating the text through a historical and critical lens, with a focus on the female subject’s experience and tropological role in the text. By examining the work in context, Hard Times serves not only as a historical marker, but sheds light on contemporary society. This thesis begins with an analysis of Claude Lévi-Strauss’s alliance theory and Jaques Lacan’s “Name-of-the-Father,” building on them by examining the ways they transcend cultures and appear in Victorian England. The facilitation of Louisa’s marriage is examined through this lens to determine her role of securing male alliances. Then, a historical analysis of economic development and utilitarianism in Victorian England shows the societal shifts in ideals alongside shifts in technology and machinery. Building on the research of Xiayi Gan regarding Victorian relations, marriage is discussed alongside Dickens’s work, drawing parallels between historical realities and fictional portrayals. With this historical foundation, this thesis infers that the author’s portrayal of Louisa’s repression is indicative of his desire to reform capitalism, critique utilitarianism, and understand the changing world around him.
Start Time
15-4-2026 11:00 AM
End Time
15-4-2026 12:00 PM
Room Number
252
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
UG Orals
Presentation Category
Arts and Humanities
Student Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor
David Jones
“Your teaching will not save me:” Hard Times as a Critique of Utilitarianism through Louisa Gradgrind’s Repression and Failed Marriage.
252
It’s difficult to overstate the impact that industrialization had on British society. This tumultuous change and the attempted digestion of its effects is pertinent in the literature of the day. A primary element of industrialization is materialism’s physical manifestation and the outworking of it in the world. Charles Dickens’s Hard Times (1854) is a novel that interrogates the rapid industrialization and its effects on society. Utilitarian materialism fueled industrialization in Britain, leading to an all-encompassing idea of accumulation exhibited in both the physical factories of the day, and the ideals present in English society. Authors during this time must contend with this reality and the promised “progress” of industrialization contrasted with elements of the world they inhabit. This thesis examines Hard Times and its portrayal of industrialization, investigating the text through a historical and critical lens, with a focus on the female subject’s experience and tropological role in the text. By examining the work in context, Hard Times serves not only as a historical marker, but sheds light on contemporary society. This thesis begins with an analysis of Claude Lévi-Strauss’s alliance theory and Jaques Lacan’s “Name-of-the-Father,” building on them by examining the ways they transcend cultures and appear in Victorian England. The facilitation of Louisa’s marriage is examined through this lens to determine her role of securing male alliances. Then, a historical analysis of economic development and utilitarianism in Victorian England shows the societal shifts in ideals alongside shifts in technology and machinery. Building on the research of Xiayi Gan regarding Victorian relations, marriage is discussed alongside Dickens’s work, drawing parallels between historical realities and fictional portrayals. With this historical foundation, this thesis infers that the author’s portrayal of Louisa’s repression is indicative of his desire to reform capitalism, critique utilitarianism, and understand the changing world around him.
