Victorian Era
Throughout the Victorian era, many writers focused on what was going on socially, economically, or politically during that time.
Growth and Development
"The sun never sets on the British Empire..."
-The British Empire consisted of Africa, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Canada.
"England was a nation in motion."
-England was at its height during the Victorian Era. They dominated in world politics, and the industrial revolution was just getting started.
-England was known as the workshop of the world because of the many factories producing many goods at a rapid pace.
-Despite the rapid growth during this era, there were many people suffering economically during this time.
-Matthew Arnold, a famous poet, stated "[t]his strange disease of modern life, with its sick hurry, its divided aims."
Arnold was not a fan of the rapid growth of the era. In fact, him and many other poets felt that the growth was focusing more on the material things rather then helping the less fortunate.
-England was known as the workshop of the world because of the many factories producing many goods at a rapid pace.
-Despite the rapid growth during this era, there were many people suffering economically during this time.
-Matthew Arnold, a famous poet, stated "[t]his strange disease of modern life, with its sick hurry, its divided aims."
Arnold was not a fan of the rapid growth of the era. In fact, him and many other poets felt that the growth was focusing more on the material things rather then helping the less fortunate.
Queen Victoria
The Victorian Era was named after the Queen of that time, Victoria. At the age of 18, Queen Victoria became Queen of England in 1897. She is the longest reigning Queen till this day. She served for 63 years, 7 months, and 2 days.She wasn't like any ruler England has had. Queen Victoria brought change to the Monarchy in England. She was very devoted to her country and very hard working. Queen Victoria believed that she should put an input in decisions rather than giving orders. This was known as constitutional monarchy. She gave minimum power for day-to-day governmental affairs to very talented Prime Ministers, Lord Melbourne, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Palmerston and some rival politicians were Benjamin Disraeli, and William E. Gladstone.
Factory Changes
-In 1850 England had about 18,000 cotton mills and produced half of the world's iron supply.
-The Great Exhibition of 1851, was a showcase of all the works of the industries of the world. This exhibition took place in the Crystal Palace. The Crystal Palace showed indoor toilets, telegraphs, power looms, electric lights, and a full size locomotive.
-The middle class ran the factories.
"Middle class Victorians enjoyed indulging themselves in displays of wealth."
-Many writers like Thomas Bibington Maculay expressed enthusiasm for the material advantages while other writers like Thomas Carlyle and William Morris felt the Victorian materialism was destructive to the community and brought no joy.
-Many people who were supposed to be considered middle class, but could not live up to the expectations of that class were charged with hypocrisy.
-As the middle class became more wealthy and prosperous, the lower class was becoming unbearable.
-The Great Exhibition of 1851, was a showcase of all the works of the industries of the world. This exhibition took place in the Crystal Palace. The Crystal Palace showed indoor toilets, telegraphs, power looms, electric lights, and a full size locomotive.
-The middle class ran the factories.
"Middle class Victorians enjoyed indulging themselves in displays of wealth."
-Many writers like Thomas Bibington Maculay expressed enthusiasm for the material advantages while other writers like Thomas Carlyle and William Morris felt the Victorian materialism was destructive to the community and brought no joy.
-Many people who were supposed to be considered middle class, but could not live up to the expectations of that class were charged with hypocrisy.
-As the middle class became more wealthy and prosperous, the lower class was becoming unbearable.
"Factory workers spent 16 hour days toiling for low wages under harsh and dangerous conditions."
"Five year olds worked in cotton mills as scavengers."
- During this time, children also suffered. Children were used for crawling under the moving machinery to pickup cotton that might have fallen. Since children are smaller then men, they used them to carry heavy buckets of coal through narrow tunnels. Thy were paid a few cents a day. Child workers went through empty bellies, beatings, and air that was filled with dust that made it hard for them to breathe.
- In 1833, Parliament abolished slavery in the England Empire. They also passed laws that restricted child labor. Many reforms followed.
-Gladstone, the new liberal party, established schools. Troy politician Disraeli won bills for improved housing, and sanitation. This bill eased harsh factory conditions and in 1867 working class men got the right to vote.
-Despite their admiration for technology and human ingenuity, most people were very religious and some theories by scientists threatened their beliefs.
-1830- Geologist Charles Lyell said the earth was made millions of years before Christ.
-1859- Charles Darwin- said animal and plant species evolved through natural selection.
- In 1833, Parliament abolished slavery in the England Empire. They also passed laws that restricted child labor. Many reforms followed.
-Gladstone, the new liberal party, established schools. Troy politician Disraeli won bills for improved housing, and sanitation. This bill eased harsh factory conditions and in 1867 working class men got the right to vote.
-Despite their admiration for technology and human ingenuity, most people were very religious and some theories by scientists threatened their beliefs.
-1830- Geologist Charles Lyell said the earth was made millions of years before Christ.
-1859- Charles Darwin- said animal and plant species evolved through natural selection.
Victorian Literature
Years before the Victorian Literature, romanticism was very popular. As time flies, the interest for the previous form of writing tends to drop. Most of the romanticism writers were dead and the style of writing was dying too. Even though the style was dying down, the romantic movement had an enormous influence on Victorian poets. The style was not what interested these young poets, but the ideas they had. Many poets stayed away from writing about the images they saw on the streets. Instead they focused on "poetic" subjects like ancient legends, foreign lands, romantic love, and nature. Some Victorian writers consisted of Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Emily Bronte and Charlotte Bronte. This writers wrote mainly fiction. A lot of middle class people loved to read realism. This is a book that would capture the reality and not a fantasy sugar coated book. Many writers like Anthony Trollope and William Makepeace Thackerway, were known for their straightforward realistic approach on how the upper middle class acted. George Meredith and George Eliot focused on psychological realism which focused on the inner realities of the mind.
Thomas Hardy wrote in a new style called naturalsim. This was and offshoot of realism, and focused more on the universe. Some people started to read more Rudyard Kipling, who set his tales in India, Oscar Wilde witty comedies, Science fiction of H. G. Wells or detective stories by Arthur Conan Do