Most of the artists and writers in the 19th century hoped that their work would motivate politicians and others to make lasting changes which would improve living and working conditions for people. These writers were frequently termed as 'social critics' and their writing 'social criticism' as one of its intents was to criticize the society. To what extent are art and literature political? Why do you think that most of the works of 19th-century writers, comprising Charles Dickens and Elizabeth Gaskell, are still popular nowadays?