Empathy and Alterity in Victorian Realism (original) (raw)

2013, Journal of Victorian Culture 18:3

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Victorian Lessons in Empathy and Difference by Rebecca N. Mitchell explores the theme of alterity within the context of Victorian realism, claiming that characters in novels cannot fully know each other and, by extension, no individual can truly know another. Drawing on works by Dickens, Eliot, and Hardy alongside Whistler's paintings, the text suggests that while realist works depict an inherent unknowability among characters, they simultaneously engage readers in a complex interaction that provides an illusion of understanding. By reflecting on the limitations of empathy and the significance of narrative forms, Mitchell pushes the boundaries of empathy studies, particularly by advocating a shift towards understanding intimate relationships as a source of understanding difference.