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The Victorian Era M. Boudreau IB English A: L & L
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The Victorian Era Queen Victoria
Great Britain – The World’s Greatest Empire Economy, Class and Industry Societal Values Literary Movements Oscar Wilde
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1. Queen Victoria Ruler of a Gilded Age
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The important thing is not what they think of me, but what I think of them.
—Queen Victoria, 1850
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Early Victorian Period
1830’s - A “Decade of New Beginnings” 1837: Victoria is shown as a fairytale, teenaged queen Radiated youthful enthusiasm to match the decade’s early years
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Mid-Victorian Period 1850’s – “The Matron-Monarch”
Now married to Prince Albert Settled into a stable, productive domestic image Royal family symbolizes the productivity boom of 1850’s industry Culminates in the Great Exhibition of 1851
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Late Victorian Period 1870’s - “The Widow of Windsor”
Reclusive after Albert’s early death in 1861 Projected a world-weary gloominess Her aging was reflected in Britain’s own sense of maturation as an Empire
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By the end of Victoria’s reign (1901), she came to embody:
Empire Stability & Continuity Duty, Family, & Propriety Stern conservatism
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The World’s Greatest Empire
2. Rule Britannia The World’s Greatest Empire
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The British Empire A Society of firsts (1800 to 1899):
population goes from 8.3 to 30.6 million Great Britain becomes the richest country on earth First urban society in history First industrial society in history London’s population grows from 1 million in 1801 to 6.5 million by the end of the Victorian Era By 1890, 500 million people on the earth were under British rule (roughly ¼ of the world’s population)
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3. The Age of Industry A Tale of Two Cities
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Period of Industrialization
Land owning aristocracy loses power The insecure, “ever expanding” urban middle class gains power Businessmen Professionals Bourgeoisie Formal Education Millions of rural workers are forced into poverty in cities
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The Upper classes Generally defined as aristocrats whose income is based solely upon inheritance and property values. Forms exclusive societies / clubs dedicated to pleasure, art and insight.
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The Middle classes Men who perform mental or "clean" work.
Generally paid monthly or annually. Work could take the form of doctors, lawyers and clerks. The Middle classes expanded rapidly in towns and cities and contributed to burgeoning consumerism and technological developments.
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The Lower classes Men and women who performed labour-intensive and menial tasks. Social class created by the Industrial Revolution. Paid daily or weekly wages. Lives were impacted by disease and lack of sanitary conditions.
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Typical Annual Incomes (1856)
Upper class Aristocrats £30,000 Merchants, bankers £10,000 Middle-class Doctors, Lawyers, Clerks £ Teachers, journalists, shopkeepers £ Skilled workers £75-100 Lower-class Sailors and domestic staff £40-75 Laborers, soldiers £25
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Social Issues The rapid developments created:
Enormous prosperity but also unthinkable poverty Humane reforms but also flagrant exploitation Immense ambitions but also devastating doubts In sum, it was an age of great achievement, deep faith, indisputable progress but also an era of destruction, religious collapse, malicious profiteering.
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Other social consequences
Extension of voting rights Rise of trade unions Changing roles for women Development of socialism Separation of church and state Questioning of tradition
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4. Societal Values Pride and Earnestness
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What is a Victorian? The adjective "Victorian" was first used in 1851 to celebrate the nation's mounting pride in its institutions and commercial success. This historical/literary period is defined by the duration of a monarch’s rule, rather than any one unifying idea.
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Victorian Values Victorian social conduct is governed by: Strict rules
Formal manners Rigidly defined gender roles Relations hampered by sexual prudery Intense obsession with a public appearance of decorum and modesty
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Manifestations of Values
Preened image Energetic Phenomenal work ethic Sense of duty towards the “Public Good” Self-confident A Society of “over-achievers”
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5. Literary Movements
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Key Features of Early Victorian Literature
The novel makes its first appearance on the pages of periodicals. The voice of the omniscient narrator provides a moralizing barrier between what is right and wrong. Most stories were set in the town, specifically London. Literature was generally realistic and focused on the private lives (secrets) of characters. Literature often focused on social issues. Generally, literature transcended class.
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Key Features of Late Victorian Literature
1870’s onward A new realism prevailed which rejected any sentimental and romantic attitude. Literature focused on the clash between man and environment, his dreams and their fulfilment, and illusion and reality. the writers were critical and attacked the superficial optimism and self confidence of the age. Main characters became alienated from society.
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4 Main Literary Movements
Realism: reproduction of the reality without idealizing it Naturalism: total objectivity and scientific approach to Literature Aestheticism: Art for Art’s sake (O. Wilde) Decadentism: Art is superior to nature, the finest beauty is that of dying and decaying things
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