The movement from Victorian novels to the modernist novels of the 20(superscript th) Century demonstrates a divergence from the styles and treatment of themes of the earlier period. The British writers after the turn of the century sought to etch out their own style to distinguish themselves; they sought to explore different perspectives than that of their predecessors. However, it is the stance of this paper to show that one theme, or perhaps element; that of the rural country house remains generally consistent in English literature from the later Victorian period through the modern and even into the contemporary post-modern novels of today. Chosen works from major authors of the Victorian and modern periods are used to demonstrate depictions and uses of this rural environment to support the conclusion that the country house and the mindset connected with this perception is a fixed part of the British identity not subject to the changing times.
