Novel
The word novel derives from the Italian novella, meaning new or news. This term itself comes from the Latin novellus, a diminutive of novus, which means new. Margaret Doody describes the genre as having a continuous history spanning about two thousand years. Her research traces these origins to Ancient Greek and Roman novels, Medieval chivalric romances, and the tradition of the Italian Renaissance novella. Early definitions often struggled to distinguish between fiction and history. In the early modern period, authors frequently included inventions rooted in traditional beliefs to embellish their texts. Historians would also invent speeches for didactic purposes during this era. Fictionality remains the most commonly cited criterion distinguishing novels from historiography today. However, some works like Ông cố vấn by Hữu Mai were designed to be non-fiction novels that recorded historical facts in novel form. The concept of length also complicates definition. Critics in the 17th century viewed romance as epic length while considering the novel its short rival. A precise definition of differences in length is not possible according to literary historians.
Chariton's Callirhoe dates back to the mid first century BC and is arguably the earliest surviving Western novel. Petronius' Satyricon and Lucian's True Story followed shortly after in classical antiquity. Apuleius wrote The Golden Ass during this same ancient period. These works were influenced by oral traditions such as storytelling and myth-making. They reflected the cultural, social, and political contexts of their time. Narrative forms developed in Classical Sanskrit India during the fifth through eighth centuries. Vasavadatta by Subandhu stands among notable works from this tradition. Daśakumāracarita and Avantisundarīkathā by Dañdina are other examples. Kadambari by Banabhatta represents another significant contribution. These narratives drew influence from older classical Sanskrit plays and Indian classical drama literature. Religious texts also shaped these early narrative forms. In China, Zhang Zhuo wrote You Xian Ku during the seventh century. This Tang dynasty work is considered one of the earliest romances or novels. It was influential on later fiction across East Asia. Urbanization and the spread of printed books in Song dynasty China led to long-form vernacular fictional novels evolving by the Ming dynasty. The Ming dynasty spanned from 1368 to 1644 while Qing dynasty lasted until 1911. Medieval European developments did not occur until after Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press around 1439. Long European works continued to be written in poetry throughout the sixteenth century.
Miguel de Cervantes published Don Quixote in 1605 which marks the first great novel of world literature according to many critics. Ian Watt argued in his 1957 study that the modern novel was born in the early eighteenth century with Robinson Crusoe. Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe appeared in 1719 and has elements of romance due to its exotic setting. Samuel Richardson's Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded came out in 1741 and some literary historians date the beginning of the English novel with this work rather than Crusoe. Eliza Haywood wrote Love in Excess between 1719 and 1720 as an epic length novel. The rise of the word novel at the cost of its rival romance remained a Spanish and English phenomenon. Readers across Western Europe welcomed the novel or short history as an alternative in the second half of the seventeenth century. Only the English and the Spanish openly discredited the romance genre during this period. Fénelon's Telemachus appeared in 1699 and already exploited nostalgia for old romances with their heroism. Jane Barker advertised her Exilius as A new Romance written after the Manner of Telemachus in 1715. By the 1780s reviews played an important role introducing new works of fiction to the public. Reform became the main goal of the second generation of eighteenth century novelists influenced by journals like The Spectator.
Horace Walpole published The Castle of Otranto in 1764 which began Gothic fiction. Ann Radcliffe wrote The Mysteries of Udolpho in 1794 while Monk Lewis authored The Monk in 1796. These new romantic novels challenged the idea that fiction involved realistic depiction of life. They destabilized differences critics tried establishing between serious classical art and popular fiction. Gothic romances exploited the grotesque according to Geoffrey Galt Harpham. Some critics thought subject matter deserved less credit than worst medieval tales of Arthurian knighthood. Authors claimed they were exploring entire realm of fictionality instead. Psychological interpreters read these works as encounters with deeper hidden truth of human imagination during early nineteenth century. Walter Scott's Waverley appeared in 1814 breaking tradition regarding historical reality. He invented true historical novel combining research with marvelous and uncommon incidents. Scott hoped to do for Scottish border what Goethe had done for Middle Ages making past live again in modern romance. His work remained historical fiction yet questioned existing historical perceptions. Using historical research as tool, Scott resorted to documentary sources like any historian would have done. As a romantic he gave his subject deeper imaginative and emotional significance. By combining research with marvelous incidents Scott attracted far wider market than any historian could. He became most famous novelist of his generation throughout Europe.
James Joyce published Ulysses in 1922 having major influence on modern novelists replacing narrator with text attempting record inner thoughts. William James first used term stream of consciousness in 1890 alongside related interior monologue term used by modernists like Dorothy Richardson. Marcel Proust Virginia Woolf and William Faulkner employed these techniques extensively. Alfred Döblin went different direction with Berlin Alexanderplatz appearing in 1929 interspersing nonfictional text fragments alongside fictional material creating another form realism differing from stream-of-consciousness approach. Samuel Beckett wrote trilogy Molloy Malone Dies Unnamable between 1951 and 1953 making use of technique later works like Julio Cortázar Rayuela 1963 Thomas Pynchon Gravity's Rainbow 1973 all utilized method. Robert Coover fragmented stories challenging time sequentiality fundamental structural concepts in 1960s. Erich Maria Remarque All Quiet on Western Front appeared in 1928 focusing young German experiences World War I. F. Scott Fitzgerald explored Jazz Age while John Steinbeck covered Great Depression period. George Orwell wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four dealing totalitarianism surveillance among other matters in 1949. Stanisław Lem Isaac Asimov Arthur C. Clarke produced modern classics focusing interaction humans machines during twentieth century.
Romance fiction held estimated 1.375 billion dollar share US book market in 2007 according to Romance Writers of America homepage data. Inspirational literature religious literature followed with 819 million dollars while science fiction fantasy reached 700 million dollars. Mystery genre captured 650 million dollars then classic literary fiction secured 466 million dollars. Popular novels based entirely expectations particular genre including creation series identifiable brand name. Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle exemplifies this approach. Modern adventure novel goes back Daniel Defoe Robinson Crusoe 1719 immediate successors. Modern pornography originates libertine hedonistic belles lettres works like John Cleland Fanny Hill 1749 similar eighteenth century novels. Ian Fleming James Bond descendant anonymous yet extremely sophisticated stylish narrator mixing love affairs political missions La Guerre d'Espagne 1707. Marion Zimmer Bradley Mists Avalon influenced Tolkien Arthurian literature nineteenth century successors. Modern horror fiction no precedent chapbook market going elitist market early nineteenth century Romantic literature. Modern popular science fiction shorter history from 1860s Jules Verne made fashionable technological adventure. Aldous Huxley Brave New World appeared 1932 about Western consumerism technology. George Orwell Nineteen Eighty-Four deals totalitarianism surveillance among other matters. Stanisław Lem Isaac Asimov Arthur C. Clarke produced modern classics focusing interaction humans machines.
Common questions
What is the origin of the word novel?
The word novel derives from the Italian novella, meaning new or news. This term itself comes from the Latin novellus, a diminutive of novus, which means new.
When was Chariton's Callirhoe written and why does it matter?
Chariton's Callirhoe dates back to the mid first century BC and is arguably the earliest surviving Western novel. It reflects cultural, social, and political contexts of its time alongside other classical works like Petronius' Satyricon and Apuleius' The Golden Ass.
Who published Don Quixote and when did this event occur?
Miguel de Cervantes published Don Quixote in 1605 which marks the first great novel of world literature according to many critics. This work established a precedent for long European fiction following the invention of the printing press around 1439 by Johannes Gutenberg.
How did Gothic fiction begin and what were key early examples?
Horace Walpole published The Castle of Otranto in 1764 which began Gothic fiction. Ann Radcliffe wrote The Mysteries of Udolpho in 1794 while Monk Lewis authored The Monk in 1796 as part of this movement challenging realistic depiction of life.
What defines modernist techniques used in novels during the twentieth century?
James Joyce published Ulysses in 1922 having major influence on modern novelists replacing narrator with text attempting record inner thoughts. William James first used term stream of consciousness in 1890 alongside related interior monologue term used by modernists like Dorothy Richardson.