This breakup of Victorian traditions and conventions was accelerated by the rapid advance science. Science with its emphasis on reason rather than on faith encouraged the spirit questioning.

Victorian beliefs, both religious and social, were subjected to a searching scrutiny and found wanting. The publication of Darwin’s Origin of Species in 1859 is of special significance from this point of view. His celebrated theory of Evolution contradicted the account of Man’s origin as given in The Bible.

His theory carried conviction as it was logically developed and supported by overwhelming evidence. Man’s faith in orthodox religion was shaken; he could no longer accept without question God’s mercy, etc., for such orthodox notions of God were contradicted by facts. The impact of these developments in science and philosophy on the literature of the period is far-reaching.