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Abstract Britishness as the national identity of Britain has been a much-discussed topic in the literary world, and 19th-century British writers are particularly enthusiastic about this topic. The study of Britishness from a literary perspective can naturally be traced back to the romantic poetry and the realistic novels of the 19th century. The starting point for the construction of the British national identity is believed to be the poetry of William Wordsworth and the countryside depicted in the poems also becomes a symbol of Britishness. As a representative figure in the third stage of British Romanticism, Morris naturally inherits his understanding of Britishness from Wordsworth. The reason why the core of Morris’s Britishness is pastoralism rather than romanticism is that the former concerns human existence and behavior, meaning that natural landscapes become complete and unique due to human participations. Morris’s lifelong wish is to build a perfect home for human beings, and thus his vision for an ideal society and the essence of his Britishness must be pastoral.
First of all, Morris’s profound attachment to the countryside of England is clearly reflected in his vivid description of his journey along the Thames River in the novel. His love for Thames Valley is evident, and he also tries his best to save the river from industrial pollution. The process of ruralization and the ensuing pastoral style are common characteristics of all the communities in the world of Nowhere. As a result, the once industrialized landscapes in the story have been transformed into beautiful gardens, hence constructing the image of a “garden city”. Secondly, the pastoral idea in Nowhere is historical instead of modern, which can be reflected in the medieval elements in the novel. Thirdly, along with the ruralization and decentralization of the urban space in the novel, the characters also choose to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and return to the peace and tranquility of the countryside. However, it deserves mention that although Morris has repeatedly expressed his desire to get rid of the slums and the industrial areas, he has never called for a complete deurbanization. What is more, he aims to build a garden city under the premise of integrating the rural and the urban areas in News from Nowhere. It thus can be seen that Morris’s pastoral style can be both radical and conservative. He does not cover up the true image of England at that time through his pastoral style, which in turn becomes an effective way for the writer to impose questions and confront problems.
On the other hand, as an author with political pursuits and beliefs, Morris naturally would not be satisfied with his utopian conception of England dominated by pastoral and medieval imagery. He would certainly integrate his political views into the construction of an ideal form of British society, which is represented in News from Nowhere. The socialist characteristic of Morris’s Britishness is reflected in the concept of “fellowship” advocated by him. The concept of fellowship holds an important position in Morris’s doctrine and is the foundation of his socialist and communist thoughts. Morris’s idea of fellowship includes the two parts of “unity” and “friendship”. For one thing, he believes that fellowship is based on the existence of a society; for another, Morris’s idea of fellowship also implicates brotherhood, which later develops into unity and friendship between strangers. The first implication of fellowship is to criticize the cash connection and labor alienation caused by the development of capitalist commerce with the purpose of restoring human values and interpersonal relationships at the spiritual level. Secondly, fellowship refers to the most extensive and broad friendship between people, built on the basis of equality and freedom. In his view, the most important quality for an individual is his creativity which comes from close cooperation with others and is also nurtured by fellowship. Thirdly, Morris in his socialist thoughts also associates fellowship with masculine behavior, and this topic is later extended to the discussion of the relationship between men and women.
The Britishness based on the idea of fellowship is constructed in the novel News from Nowhere. Firstly, after the abolition of capitalist commerce, the cash connection is eradicated and labor alienation is resolved. The labor concept reflected in the novel is different from the physical labor described in Wordsworth’s poetry. The working mode in the novel is based on the idea of fellowship, emphasizing individual creativity and the pleasure of labor. The laborers in News from Nowhere exhibit a positive attitude and full enthusiasm. At the same time, the importance and pleasure of work are also important themes in the novel, which are reflected in the descriptions of road construction and house building. Secondly, the ideas of freedom, equality, and fraternity contained in fellowship are reflected not only in the inter-personal relationship but also in the social configuration of Nowhere. The federal social system derived from the idea of fellowship is also clearly presented in News from Nowhere. The world of Nowhere exhibits the typical features of the federal society, in which the country as a national institution performs no practical functions. The world of Nowhere is divided into many scattered communities, which are also highly autonomous politically. People can directly participate in the political affairs of the communities via the institution called mote. Finally, the discussion of gender relationships based on the idea of fellowship is extended to the view of gender equality, which makes the world of Nowhere more utopian. The women in the novel do not depend on marriage for their livelihood and in turn, would not be chained by the gender relationship. However, it should be clarified that Morris is not opposed to marriage itself, but to marriage under the capitalist system. In contrast, in a society based on the concept of fellowship, marriage can bloom and bear fruits again.
Based on his idea of fellowship and pastoralism in 19th-century England, the world in News from Nowhere is the best future vision constructed by William Morris for Britain. Morris is a romantic and socialist writer of the 19th century, as well as a patriot with distinct views. His concerns about the current state of England at the time and his expectations for the future have led him to participate in discussions in the 19th century about ideal England and typical Britishness. England’s rural landscape and the idea of fellowship constitute integral parts of his ideal Britishness.
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Published: 08 September 2024
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