Today Fowles continues to write--Wormholes, a book of essays, was published in May 1998--and devote his time to literature, conservation, natural history and a variety of other interests.

„French Lieutenants Woman" is a work of historical fiction that clearly represents the Victorian Age in England. The story represents the history and culture of England in the 1860's and contrasts elements of the Victorian Age with the present, with the inner plot representing the past and the outer plot representing the present.
Fowles knows the Victorian era very well, but he doesn’t use only the philosophy and thoughts of Victorian era. When he talks about his protagonists, about his feelings and thinking, he uses a modern psycology as well. This book is like a sociologic study of the era. In one way it is an encyclopaedia of opinions, customs, morality and problems of the people who lived in the Victorian era.
Text oscillates between the author, protagonists and reader. Fowles uses differents narrative methods, talks with the reader, the reader is like the one protagonist of the book.The book shows us a contrast between the one person and the whole society. In the inner plot we find era many elements of the Victorian, such as the way the gentleman Charles asks permission of Ernestine's parents to speak to her privately. Thus in 'The Origin of Species' (1859) he tactfully avoided any discussion of human origins, in the 'Descent of Man' (1871) he made his opinion clear: man is animal." (Longman, p.1945) Dr. Grogan's ivestigation of Freud's theories of psychology were also key to the stories historical context. It places the story in the Victorian era, however since Sigmond Freud was not born until 1856, I doubt he developed the theories mentioned by Dr. Grogan in the 1860's, the decade the story takes place. Mrs. Poultney is the stereotypic Victorian woman and her references to what is godly and seemly are clearly Victorian as well. "The terms 'lady' and 'gentleman' had enormous significance, particularly to those aspiring to those ranks and to those in danger of slipping out of them." ("Victorian Ladies and Gentleman," Longman, p.1886)

French Lieutenants Woman

The romantic story begins in the 1860's with Charles working in the field as a paleontologist. Upon his return to his office, he drops his work and calls, "Grab the horses Sam, were going to Miss Ernetines!" Charles goes to Ernestines and asks her parents if she may speak with her privately. Ernestine is the daughter of Mr. Freeman, a wealthy businessman. She is a bright young girl however naive about the world. In a private atrium Charles asks Ernestine "if she would have this crusty old scientist for her husband." Ernestine accepts and the engagement begins.