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A Christmas Carol. By: Charles Dickens. Part I: The Victorian Era. Lasted from 1837 – 1901, the reign of queen Victoria of England. Depicted in popular culture by films such as Mary Poppins …. …Sherlock Holmes…. … and Sweeney Todd.
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A Christmas Carol By: Charles Dickens
Part I: The Victorian Era • Lasted from 1837 – 1901, the reign of queen Victoria of England.
A time of great social, economic, and technological transformation launched largely by the industrial revolution
Rise of the Machine • The industrial revolution marked a shift from an agricultural (farm based) economy to an industrial (factory based) one.
Rise of the Machine • Greater demand for products put pressure on business owners to create more goods as cheaply and quickly as possible.
Rise of the Machine • The invention of steam power made machine power possible in any conditions possible, particularly when these machines were housed in large factories like this one…
Changes brought about by the industrial revolution Before During Industrial economy Complex steam powered machines fueled with coal Industrial factories produced large quantities of goods The rich owned factories that the poor worked in Cities become densely populated • Agricultural economy • Simple machines powered by man, animal, wind, and water • Cottage industries produced few goods • The rich owned land that the poor farmed • Most people live in the country
Changes brought about by the industrial revolution Before During A publicly funded police force became necessary due to rampant crime in cities Cholera outbreaks prompt cities to close their sewer systems and provide clean running water… for those who could afford it • Crime control largely handled by men who worked for rewards • Open sewers call cesspools are the main avenue of transporting waste from cities to the river Thames
Victorian Class Structure: Money Talks • “Class” refers to the amount of money, power, and social status a person enjoys. • Victorian England produced about 5 distinct classes of people: • The Aristocracy $$$$$$$$$$ • The Upper Middle Class $$$$$ • The Lower Middle Class $$ • The Working Class $ • The “Undeserving Poor”
The Aristocracy • have had money, land, and power for generations and make money the old fashioned way… land and investments • $$$$$$$$$$
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, both aristocrats, were the “hottest” couple of the Victorian era.
Upper Middle Class: • These people are professionals (doctors, lawyers, clergy, bankers) and industrialists, who own factories! • They have money, property, power, and leisure time to pursue popular Victorian hobbies such as boating, painting, tennis, and croquet. • $$$$$
The super rich Victorians lived in copies of manor houses, like this…
The less rich of the upper middle class lived in homes like this…
Lower Middle Class • Managers, Clerks, Teachers, Shopkeepers • These people work for the wealthy factory and business owners in a supervisory capacity, overseeing the workers, managing funds, etc • These people don’t have a lot of money but they are able to afford clean living spaces for their families and some leisure activities. • $$
Families lived in row homes in cities that were close to places of work.
Working Classes • Also known as the “deserving” poor and are often recipients of charity • This group of people range from relatively high skilled to low paid laborers. Although the income of these people vary somewhat, their living conditions were similar. • Slums in Victorian London were overcrowded and unsanitary. • $
The “undeserving” poor • Cannot obtain steady work due to old age, physical or mental illness, debt, bad luck or other misfortunes • Some end up in the workhouse, where the homeless poor are housed and force to do menial and often pointless tasks. In workhouses disease ran rampant. Even conditions in prison were better.
Picking apart rope (“picking okum”) was a common workhouse task
Breaking rocks apart with hammers was another common workhouse task.
Living conditions were poor, inmates worked long hours and were fed gruel, hopes of getting out were slim.
criminals • The very poor were sometimes known as the “criminal class” because they were so likely to turn to crime rather than enter a workhouse.
criminals • Crime became so common in Victorian cities that an organized police force was created.
criminals • Some criminals were very successful and supported lavish lifestyles- this sort were often featured in popular novels like this one
criminals • …whereas some were lower level criminals who barely got by.
Criminal Class Slang • To 'work the kinchin lay' was to trick children out of their cash or clothing • To 'shake lurk' was to beg in the guise of a shipwrecked sailor • To 'work the shallow' was to excite compassion by begging in tattered clothes • 'on the blob' :telling hard-luck stories
Christmas before the Victorian Period • Ancient European people celebrated the winter solstice…
Christmas before the Victorian Period • …with holidays such as “Yule” in central European countries like Germany and Norway.
Christmas before the Victorian Period • Ancient Europeans in countries like Italy (Romans) celebrated the winter solstice with “Saturnalia.”
Christmas before the Victorian Period • As the popularity of Christianity grew in Europe during the dark ages and through the medieval period these winter celebrations were infused with Christian themes, such as the birth of the Christian Messiah…
Christmas before the Victorian Period • …but many of the ancient traditions were still practiced.
