The Victorian Period 1832-1901 (Lit Book pg. 783)

Queen Victoria (1819-1901) Became queen at age 18 after the death of her uncle William IV Reigned from 1837-1901 (longest reigning British monarch) Married first cousin Albert, had 9 children, 42 grandchildren (“the Grandmother of Europe”) Grandchildren included Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and Tsarina Alexandria of Russia. Queen Elizabeth II is Victoria’s great-great-granddaughter Had few actual powers (Britain was now a constitutional monarchy) A national icon, identified with strict standards of personal morality. 1838 1882

The British Empire at its Peak

I. Peace and Economic Growth The Industrial Revolution cause the middle class to grow in this period through increases in production, towns, wealth, jobs, goods; and expansion in middle class’ social and political influence. II. The Idea of Progress Thomas Macaulay and the Victorian middle class defined progress as material improvement (counted and measured), for example: paved/lit streets, clean city, sober police force, numbered houses, literate citizens.

III. The “Hungry Forties” Queen Victoria's first decade of rule called the “Hungry Forties” because it was a period of economic depression (1.5 million unemployed!). The working conditions for children in the 1840s were terrible: 12 hour days, 6 day weeks, dangerous/mangling machines, coal mines. London was an unpleasant city during the 1840s. There was mass amounts of growth/overpopulation: unpaved streets, pollution, the Thames full of industrial waste, sewage, run-off from graveyards (ewww). Ireland in the 1840s was suffering from the potato famine: a million deaths, two million immigrations (to England, U.S., others).

IV. The Movement for Reform Some negative effects of Industrialization including rallies/riots, high prices (controlled by government), pollution, overpopulation of cities, etc. Some positive results of industrialization meant better material condition of social classes: drop in food prices improved diet factories and railroads = cheap postage, newspapers, furniture, clothing, travel All men were allowed to vote in 1867. All women (over 30) were allowed to vote 1918. Everyone over 21 in 1928. Children's lives were also improved by reforms: work day limited to 10 (!) hours (with a half day on Saturday); education improved (made mandatory, then free).

V. Decorum and Authority The Victorian middle class's focus concerning behavior and morals: some ideas (sex, death, birth) glossed over, not spoken about powerful ideas about authority obsession with gentility and decorum The realities of the lives of middle class women were still pretty bad: subject to male authority expected to marry/run the home unmarried working-class women could become servants, middle class unmarried women could be governesses or teachers many left unmarried when men delayed marriage for financial success

VI. Intellectual Progress Advances were made in the sciences, including beginning to understand the earth/its living creatures: Geology : rocks and fossils Biology: theory of evolution (Darwin) Industrial England depended on and supported science and technology (such as chemistry and engineering).

VII. Questions and Doubts Victorian writers expressed doubts: Does material comfort fully satisfy human needs and wishes? Are we rightly perceiving the universe? Do human life and the natural world make as much sense as we thought they did? They also questioned the idea of exploiting the earth and mocked codes of decorum/authority Charles Dickens portrayed the lives of decent people with happy endings, things usually working out. However, decent people often neglected, abused, and/or exploited. Dickens attacked the hollowness, glitter, superficiality, and excesses of the Victorians' lives.

VIII. From Trust to Skepticism and Denial The Victorian writers' view of God, of “the divine” was a transcendental reality: The idea connected heaven and earth, Reality is a spiritual and divine idea, and the divine is possible The poet penetrates the divine idea and makes it palpable The works of Thomas Hardy and A.E. Housman revealed an increasing world view of skepticism and denial

IX. Revealing Reality, Creating Coherence Lewis Carroll and Oscar Wilde showed two important and consistent purposes of Victorian literature in their writings: Make readers hope (or wonder if) reality was really like that Demonstrate that, however bleak and chaotic reality seemed to be, the writer and reader can make pleasing order of it Writers “sent their words” to work in the world to alter, to reinforce, to challenge, to enlarge, or temper ideas and feelings with which people manage their lives. X. An Age in Need of Heroines Octavia Hill focus on reforms in housing, conservation, and social work. Florence Nightingale transformed the public's view of nursing by pushing sanitation and hygiene, becoming an authority on public health.

XI. The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood In a painting that shocked everyone, John Everett Millais portrayed the Holy Family as ordinary people in an ordinary setting The ideals of the PRB embraced the ordinary (rejecting conventions of “Old Masters” and those that came after Renaissance painter Raphael) like medieval painters, used a natural vision; their “time is out of joint.” The members of the PRB were considered “artistic outlaws” for using one “principle light,” a minute rendering of details, botanical and geographical accuracy The rebelliousness of the PRB made a social statement and raised difficult questions about the place of art/artists in a rapidly changing society

Christ in the House of His Parents by Sir John Everett Millais

Other PRB/PRB-influenced Artists Dante Gabriel Rossetti John William Waterhouse William Holman Hunt Frederic Leighton Arthur Hughes

Drama was moving towards realism during this time. XII. Victorian Drama Oscar Wilde and George Bernhard Shaw were influenced by a world-turned-on-its-head view of life, irreverent ridicule. Drama was moving towards realism during this time. Changes were occurring in the theater: smaller, more modern theaters apron removed gaslight (then electricity) These changes allowed for smaller, more realistic dramas (audience views action through “fourth wall,” illusion of reality).