The Victorian Period 1830-1901 1901 General Info About the Time Enormous changes occurred in political and social life in England and the rest of the world The scientific and technical innovations of the Industrial Revolution, the emergence of modern nationalism, and the European colonization of much of Africa, the Middle East, and the Far East changed most of Europe Far-reaching new ideas created the greatest outpouring of literary production the world has ever seen 1
Ruled England from 1837-1901 She took the crown at 18. Her reign lasted over 63 years, the longest of any British monarch. Like Elizabeth I, she gave her name to this period of British history and literature. Queen Victoria 1840-Victoria married a German prince, Albert, who became not king, but Princeconsort. After he died in 1861, she sank into a deep depression and wore black every day for the rest of her life Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in a photo taken in 1854 Queen Victoria in 1887 2
A Time of Change Industrial Revolution was at its height, a period of social, economic and technological change. Factory systems emerged: Machines meant that workers had to be gathered in one single place, the factory. Many people left their villages in the hope of finding work in the cities. In big industrial cities, houses were built very fast to house the numerous workers arriving from the country. London became the most important city in Europe Population of London expanded from two million to six million, creating a demand for housing, food and clothing Besides, there were new ideas in England : an interest in scientific investigation and invention, and the doctrine of laissez-faire : letting business be regulated by supply and demand rather than by laws. 3
The Early Victorian Period 1830-1848 In 1830, the Liverpool and Manchester Railway opened, the first public railway line in the world. By 1850, railway lines connected England s major cities By 1900, England had 15,195 lines of railroad and an underground rail system beneath London. The train transformed England s landscape, supported the growth of commerce, and shrank the distance between cities. The Reform Bills Transformed English class structure The Reform Bill of 1832 extended the right to vote to all males owning property: The Act granted seats in the House of Commons to large cities that had sprung up during the Industrial Revolution. It Act also increased the number of individuals entitled to vote, increasing the size of the electorate by 50 80%, and allowing a total of one out of six adult males to vote. The Second Reform Bill of 1867 extended right to vote to working class 4
The Time of Troubles Unemployment Poverty Rioting Slums in large cities Working conditions for women and children were terrible The brickyards of England - Children carrying clay A child pulling a cart Children The Victorian era became notorious for Child labour. Agile boys were employed by the chimney sweeps; small children were employed to scramble under machinery to retrieve cotton bobbins; and children were also employed to work in coal mines, crawling through tunnels too narrow and low for adults. Children also worked as errand boys, crossing sweepers, or shoe blacks, or selling matches, flowers, and other cheap goods. 5
School Many children in early Victorian times never went to school at all and more than half of them grew up unable to read or write. The poorest ended up in a Warehouse: it was a public institution which housed and fed people who were unable to support themselves. If these people were otherwise fit, they were put to work (Charles Dickens painted the best-known picture of it in his Oliver Twist) Slowly, things changed for poorer children: by the end of the Victorian age all children under 12 had to go to school. Now everybody could learn how to read and write, and how to count properly. The Role of Women Changing conditions of women s work created by the Industrial Revolution Social conventions for women remain similar to those of the Bennet sisters. Women were to marry and provide homes. A working class woman, if married, could be a servant and if unmarried, a teacher or governess. Legal changes were to their advantage. Although they still could not vote, women had the right to retain their own property after marriage, to sue for divorce, and to fight for the custody of their children in a separation. Florence Nightingale, who founded the first modern nursing school, gave women a role model. 6
The Mid-Victorian Period 1848-1870 A time of prosperity A time of improvement A time of stability A time of optimism 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 7
The British Empire Between 1853 and 1880, 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. Imperialism The sun never sets on the British Empire. England was a imperial nation gaining control of countries around the world. During Victoria s reign, 25% of the world s population, was part of the British Empire. Empire included Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Africa, Kenya, and India. This is the reason why the English language was at one time the language of business, law, and government. Irish question Bismarck's Germany became a rival power United States became a rival power Economic depression led to mass immigration Socialism 8
Challenges to Religious Belief The telegraph, telephone, photography (Victoria was the first royal to have her portrait taken rather than painted ) the advent of the automobile and electric lighting changed not only the way people lived, but their view of the world in which they lived. Science: Charles Darwin (1809-1882) unsettled the world by offering another view of creation lived. He introduced the survival of the fittest theory (the Origin of Species) Geology: Charles Lyell (1797-1875): showed that geological features on Earth had developed continuously and slowly over immense periods of time Astronomy Literacy, Publication, and Reading By the end of the century, literacy was almost universal. Compulsory national education required to the age of ten. Due to technological advances, an explosion of things to read, including newspapers, periodicals, and books. Growth of the periodical Novels and short fiction were published iin serial form. The reading public expected literature to illuminate social problems. 9
Victorian Poets Poetry confirmed what the Victorians valued or pointed out problems in their society. Their poetry often related to society s problems or misdirections. Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892): Most popular Victorian poet. He wrote narrative poems Robert Browning (1812-1889): raised the dramatic monologue to new heights making it a vehicle for deep psychological probing and character study Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861): with Robert, one of literature s greatest love affairs. Wrote love sonnets valued for their lyric beauty Victorian Drama The theater was a flourishing and popular institution during the Victorian period. The popularity of theater influenced other genres. Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde transformed British theater with their comic masterpieces. 10
The Victorian Novel The novel was the dominant form in Victorian literature. Victorian novels seek to represent a large and comprehensive social world, with a variety of classes. Victorian novels are realistic. Major theme is the place of the individual in society, the aspiration of the hero or heroine for love or social position. The protagonist s search for fulfillment is emblematic of the human condition. For the first time, women were major writers: the Brontes. Elizabeth Gaskell, George Eliot. The Victorian novel was a principal form of entertainment. 11