Conformism and nonconformism in the sociocultural space of Great Britain in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries (a case study of “The Forsyte Saga” by J. Galsworthy)

Abstract

The sociocultural space of the UK, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, was in a state of flux. During the time, the norms and values of two different epochs were in sharp conflict, bringing to light such phenomena as conformism and nonconformism. In “The Forsyte Saga”, John Galsworthy masterfully described the interaction between people from different social classes and their different mindsets. Strict compliance with acceptable norms and values, in the case of “The Forsyte Saga”, is what conformism refers to. Nonconformism refers to the struggle for freedom, love and happiness. It was a revolution against the ethos of the Forsytes, an ethos based on cold calculations and a need for profit. Based on the analysis of this phenomenon, the dynamics of the development of society can be traced. The Victorian era faded into the past. The Forsytes, the embodiment of the passing era, were the representatives of a society in which there was nothing more important than an impeccable reputation and a stable income. The new era belonged to those who put family, art and beauty above money and public opinion. Their aim was to determine the basis of a new sociocultural space.

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