The Victorian Period

1. The Victorian Period 1830-1901

2. What kind of a world is this? When a woman entered a room, it was considered rude for a man to offer his seat to her because the cushion might still be warm. People thought food digested better in the dark, so a dining room located in the basement was considered the best spot in which to eat. A glance into a bedroom was considered improper if viewed by a visitor, so bedrooms were located on the second floor. People were shy about having water closets, so they disguised fixtures as dressers and cabinets. Tubs were enclosed in wooden boxes that resembled large chests. People went to great lengths to hide toilets from view. In some homes, they were behind a curtain or screen, or even in a room of their own. Children rarely saw their parents. A special trip was made to the nursery each evening, and the visit lasted about an hour. Women made pictures, wreaths, and bouquets from their own hair or the hair of a family member to be framed and displayed in the parlour. Some rocking chairs were designed to disguise a chamber pot. People had to be careful not to rock too quickly! A lot of men used macassar oil to slick back their hair. Crocheted doilies, called antimacassars, were put over the backs of chairs to keep this grease from staining the furniture. For a lady to show her ankles was considered very risqué!

3. A Time of Change • London becomes most important city in Europe • Population of London expands from two million to six million • Shift from ownership of land to modern urban economy • Impact of industrialism • Increase in wealth • World’s foremost imperial power • Victorian people suffered from anxiety, a sense of being displaced persons in an age of technological advances.

4. Queen Victoria and the Victorian Temper • Ruled England from 1837-1901 • Exemplifies Victorian qualities: earnestness, moral responsibility, domestic propriety • The Victorian Period was an age of transition • An age characterized by energy and high moral purpose

5. The Early Victorian Period1830-1848 • Railways became incredibly important, transforming England’s landscape. • Voting reforms • Rampant poverty and unemployment • Poor working conditions for women and children • Rioting

6. The Mid-Victorian Period1848-1870 • A time of prosperity • A time of improvement • A time of stability • A time of optimism

7. The Crystal Palace • Erected to display the exhibits of modern industry and science at the 1851 Great Exhibition • One of the first buildings constructed according to modern architectural principles • The building symbolized the triumphs of Victorian industry

8. The British Empire • Large scale immigration to British colonies • In 1857, Parliament took over the government of India and Queen Victoria became empress of India. • Many British people saw the expansion of empire as a moral responsibility. • Missionaries spread Christianity in India, Asia, and Africa. • “The sun never sets on the British empire”

9. The Late Victorian Period1870-1901 • Decay of Victorian values • British imperialism • Boer War • Irish question • Germany and U.S. become major world powers • Economic depression led to mass immigration

10. Women in Victorian Society • Women were the heart of the home • Women joined the work force • Low-class/middle class women had very few job prospects • The Factory Acts (1802-78) – regulations of the conditions of labor in mines and factories • The Custody Act (1839) – gave a mother the right to petition the court for access to her minor children and custody of children under seven and later sixteen. • The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act – established a civil divorce court • Married Women’s Property Acts • First women’s college established1848

11. The Role of Science • Science became a challenge to the religious norms • Thomas Huxley – believed science the key to happiness • Charles Darwin – Origin of the Species

12. The Role of Sex • Victorian society refused to acknowledge sexuality in any way • Prostitution was rampant • Syphilis was rampant • Doctors used sexual treatments to cure women of hysteria

13. The Victorian Novel • The novel was the dominant form in Victorian literature. • Victorian novels are realistic. • The protagonist’s search for fulfillment is emblematic of the human condition. • The Victorian novel was a principal form of entertainment.

14. Victorian Novelists • Victor Hugo – Les Miserables • Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced detective stories The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes • Lewis Carroll heavy drug addict, collected pictures of young girls Alice in Wonderland – meant as a political satire • Leo Tolstoy - War and Peace • Rudyard Kipling – The Jungle Book, Kim • Charles Dickens paid by the word Great Expectations, A Tale of Two Cities, Oliver Twist

15. Victorian Poetry • Poets sought new ways of telling stories in verse • Dramatic monologue – the idea of creating a lyric poem in the voice of a speaker ironically distinct from the poet is the great achievement of Victorian poetry.

16. Victorian Poets • Alfred, Lord Tennyson Lady of Shalott • Matthew Arnold Dover Beach • Robert Browning My Last Duchess • Elizabeth Barrett Browning Songs of the Portugeuse

17. Victorian Drama • The theater was a flourishing and popular institution during the Victorian period. • Primarily comic

18. Victorian Playwrights • Oscar Wilde The Importance of Being Earnest put on trial for homosexuality • George Bernard Shaw Man and Superman Pygmalion had a 50 year love affair with a woman he never met