Subject, Metropolis, and Other Spaces in 19th-Century Serial Genres

Exploring 19th-century serial literature in France and the United Kingdom, different publishing models and urban perceptions emerge. English literature idealises rural retreats, portraying cities as spaces of decadence, while French literature urbanises stories, depicting the provinces as realms of existential despair. Social archetypes such as the proletarian, the capitalist, and the detective reflect social changes. Furthermore, the representations of horror are contrasted:in England, it is externalised in another character, while in France, it is internal to the character himself. In general, the essay emphasises how the publishing model influences literary writing, which in turn reflects the evolution of urban life’s social vision, highlighting the interplay between medium, settings, and characters and how these narratives echo broader cultural changes.