Write a short note on Darwinism

Victorian age is an age of social unrest. It was a melting pot in the history of England. Too many influences worked on the Victorian era. The society was progressing from a backward 18th century society to the modern 20th century. With the advent of science and technology the society progressed and achieved much scientific knowledge. There was development in the outlook of the people. There was development in different branches of science. Darwin’s theory of evolution brought about a radical change in the fundamental faith of mankind. 

Darwin’s publication of “The Origin of Species” (1859) opposed the Biblical idea of human” creation. Darwin defends the idea of “the survival of the fittest”. His another book “The Descent of Man” (1871) assembled new evidence that man was descended from apes. Geology has shown the earth to be millions of year old. 

In fact the scientific research showed that Bible was not scientific history. People were not sure wheather science was true or New Testament was true. Therefore the theory of evolution challenged Chritian idea of the origin and end of mankind. Some like Tennyson modified their belief in the existence of the God and destiny of human. Others like Hardy expressed their doubt. In fact Darwin was not a social critic. But his work had much influence on the age which Is also clearly seen in the works of the novelist specially in George Eliot.