Victorian literature flourished between 1837 and 1901 during the reign of Queen Victoria. Major authors of the period included the Brontë sisters, Charles Dickens, Thomas Hardy, Joseph Conrad, William Thackeray, and George Eliot. Their novels often explored themes reflecting Victorian society such as death, religion, disease, love, social class, reputation, marriage, ghosts, and the roles of men and women. While reflecting their society, Victorian authors also influenced it through their literature and examination of social issues and morality. Many classics of this era remain widely read today.