Abstract

Boys’ school stories from the Victorian period engage persistently with debates about masculinity, and fictional representations of school life provide provocative commentary on what might constitute manly behaviour. School (both the private variety and, more tenaciously, the public school) was recognised by many authors in this period as the embodiment of a set of social values associated with patriarchal dominance and elitism, but also as a crucible to forge the masculinity of its young male brethren. In Victorian fiction, educational adventures primarily examine moments of school life that take place beyond any form of detailed academic accomplishment, to focus more on the individual’s moral development, socialisation, reputation, the forging and testing of friendships, the perils of temptation, and physical prowess. They therefore recount what else may be learned outside of the classroom, making school a significant element in successful (or failed) masculine development.