Victorian Era (1837-1901) AP English Lit. & Comp.

Victorian Britain When you hear “the Victorian era,” what comes to mind? You might think of women in high-neck dresses, or the Queen of England. During the Victorian era Britain was economically and culturally the world’s most powerful nation. You might think of this period in British history as traditional, conservative, or even repressive.

Victorian Britain Actually, this was a time of great CHANGE. Victorian people had many of the same social and economic concerns we have today. When reading Victorian literature, it is imperative to understand this period of change, and realize that Victorians were struggling to come to terms with the changes caused by social and technological upheaval.

Historical Context

Victorian Basics Period between 1837-1901 Queen Victoria ruled during that time. She was popular and placed great importance on family life and public responsibility.

Early Victorian Era From 1837-1851 Time of enormous economic growth due to industrialization – the rise of factories and factory work. The Industrial Revolution transformed Britain from an agricultural society to an industrial society.

Early Victorian Era During this time, many children worked in factories, and workers began to demand rights. The government put increased emphasis on free trade and exportation of goods. By 1850, a national railway system was complete. This increased the ability of people and goods to travel quickly over a long distance and was seen as a symbol of progress and rapid change.

Early Victorian Era In 1851 (marking the end of the Early Victorian), Britain hosted the Great Exhibition. This event brought together representatives of 32 nations in the largest display of manufactured goods and commodities that had ever been assembled in one place. Britain’s goals of the Great Exhibition: Display prosperity, increase exports, encourage free trade, show dominance and industrial advancement, share the Industrial Revolution with the world.

Industrial Revolution Shifted the economy from agriculture to manufacturing. This caused people to leave the country and move to the city. This shift in population to urban areas is known as urbanization. Many people saw their traditional was of life destroyed and resisted this change. People also criticized that unchecked “progress” led to slums and exploitation of workers.

Mid-Victorian Era From 1851-1870 This was a prosperous time, during which Living standards improved Britain’s economic power continued to increase The nation’s population grew by nearly 5 million The middle class expanded and became more powerful politically

Late Victorian Era From 1870-1901 Time of many reforms: Trade unions legalized National education system established Voting rights expanded (though not yet to women) Britain remained powerful, but Germany and the United States were becoming strong competitors.

Victorian Society The Victorian emphasis on social and economic progress meant that many Victorians focused on the future. Through the entire era, people debated such social issues as education and economic policy. There was also rising concern about the place of the working class and women in society.

Class An important concept for understanding the Victorian era is class. Class refers to economic position in society. In this period, people began to question Britain's age or class structure: The aristocracy The middle class The working class Opportunities in industry and trade made the middle class more powerful. Laborers in the newly built factories in Northern England gave rise to a new class–the urban working class.

Imperialism The industrial revolution created a need for raw materials that couldn't be found at home. Britain began to import these materials from all over the world for use in its factories. The need to import materials, and the need to develop new markets for British goods, led to the expansion of the British empire into such areas as Africa, southeast Asia, and India. This expansion was called imperialism.

Science The sciences also became very important during the Victorian era. Scientific writers, such as Charles Darwin, became very influential. Darwin's theory of evolution caused many Victorians to question their understanding of the world.

Responding to Change How did Victorian art and literature deal with the changes in society?

Art During the Victorian era, artists didn't always react positively to dramatic social changes. For example, some artists turned away from modern society and instead recreated images from Britain's medieval past. Later, the "Art for Art's sake" movement argued that art should be encouraged for its own purpose. The arts and crafts movement, led by William Morris, emphasized the beauty of handcrafted objects. These movements were a reaction against the industrialization and urbanization of society.

Poetry Poets also used their art to respond to the turbulent changes in Victorian society. Three of the major Victorian poets were Alfred Lord Tennyson, Robert Browning Matthew Arnold All three focused on problems of religious faith and social change. Arnold was an important social critic who argued that it was important for England to have a national culture and education system.

Drama Social changes were also reflected in drama. The two most important dramatists of the Victorian period were: George Bernard Shaw Oscar Wilde Both wrote plays criticizing the social structure and the class system. Wilde's plays used comedy and satire to expose the hypocrisy of fashionable society.

Novels Reforms in education led to a more literate population and an increased demand for fiction. The novel was the major literary form of the period, and hundreds of novelists published works for the growing population of readers.

Novels Victorian novels however, weren't read in the same way novels are read today. At that time, novels were distributed in a series of cheap, monthly installments known as serial publications. Writers often used elements of suspense, melodrama, and sensationalism to keep readers subscribing. Many Victorian novels also had sentimental happy endings that appealed to their readers. Writers who published their novels in serial installments include Charles Dickens, William Thackeray, and Thomas Hardy.

Novels Victorian literature focused on the effect of social change on individuals and groups. The novel was the form that best dealt with social issues because of its social realism. Social realism describes the details of everyday life and offers a realistic account of human interactions. Because of their length, novels could deal with all the varieties of social life and explore major issues. For example, the very popular "social problem" novel, focused on specific social issues.

Women in Literature Women participated in literary and social life as both authors and readers of fiction. Because middle class women often had leisure time to read novels, some books were published specifically for female readers. As the Victorian era progressed, many women began to break from traditional roles. This shift is reflected in the literature about women.

Victorian Novelists Charles Dickens Published from 1836 until his death in 1870. His novels combined realism with comedy, caricature, and social criticism. Dickens wrote about all levels of society and is known for writing about London life from many perspectives. He criticized many of Britain's social institutions and often focused specifically on the treatment of the poor.

Victorian Novelists The Bronte sisters were also key literary figures during this time. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bronte were three sisters from a family in rural England. Most of their novels are loosely based on their own experiences. The Brontes are important for the insight they give into the lives of women of the Victorian era.

Bronte Sisters In 1846, the three sisters published a book of poetry under the male "pen names" of the Bell Brothers– Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. Women authors often did this to protect their reputations, since writing wasn't considered a respectable occupation for a woman. In 1847, each of the sisters published a novel, again under their Bell pen names. Their novels were influenced by Gothic elements from the Romantic period, as well as the realism of Victorian fiction.

Emily Bronte Emily Bronte wrote poetry and novels. Wuthering Heights is famous for its energy and passion, as well as for its complicated narrative structure. It has elements of the gothic and supernatural, as well as of social commentary.

Anne Bronte Anne Bronte, the youngest sister, published two novels. Agnes Grey drew on her experience as a governess The Tenant of Wildfell Hall describes an alcoholic's decline. Her novels are less read today than her sisters'.

Charlotte Bronte Charlotte Bronte's first published novel, released in 1847, was Jane Eyre. Jane Eyre was very popular at the time and has since become a classic novel. Charlotte's life mirrored Jane Eyre's. She was sent to a school similar to the one in the novel and worked as a governess. Charlotte published two other novels while she was alive, Vilette and Shirley. Her last novel, The Professor, was published after she died.

Summary This was a time of great change, and the literature of this period reflects the reaction that people had to this change. Industrialization, Urbanization, and Imperialism Social changes became topics for Victorian literature Debates about education, economic policy, the place of women, traditional class structure, and the plight of the working class.