Post on 20-Jan-2016
The Victorian Period: 1832–1901Introduction to the Literary Period
Interactive Time Line
Milestone: Reign of Queen Victoria
Milestone: Riots and Reforms
Milestone: Prosperity
Milestone: A Society of Propriety
Milestone: The March of the Mind
What Have You Learned?
Feature Menu
The Victorian Period: 1832–1901
1832–1848Riots and Reforms
1800sSociety of Propriety
1848–1870Prosperity
1800sMarch of the Mind
Choose a link on the time line to go to a milestone.
18501800 1900
1837–1901Reign of Queen Victoria
Reign of Queen Victoria
Victoria Brought Respect to the Throne
• Worked hard to ensure the welfare of her people
• Married her cousin, Prince Albert, the love of her life
• Became symbolic rather than political ruler, ensuring continuation of monarchy
• Many royal families of Europe descended from their nine children
Reign of Queen Victoria
During Victoria’s reign (1837–1901) England experienced
• political and social stability
• prosperity and progress
• movement toward more democratic government
• growth of British empire
• expansion of Industrial Revolution
• scientific discovery
Riots and Reforms
The Hungry Forties
• Severe economic depression
• High unemployment
• Soaring bread prices
• Poor working and living conditions
• Cities filthy, polluted, disorderly
• Potato famine in Ireland
Riots and Reforms
In the 1840s . . .
• Parliament repeals tax on imported grains; price of bread drops
• reform bills passed to extend vote, improve conditions
• government policies keep price of bread high
• all women and most working men denied the vote
• riots at protest rallies
• Parliament and queen petitioned
• revolutions sweeping Europe; British politicians nervous
Riots and Reforms
• Limited child labor
The Reform Bills
• Eventually extended vote to almost all adult males
• Established state-supported schools
• Reduced working day to ten hours
Riots and Reforms
Women in the Reform Movement
Octavia Hill• Authority on housing reform• Founded National Trust
(protected historic landmarks)
Florence Nightingale• Army nurse• Authority on public health
• Improved hospitals
Octavia Hill
Florence Nightingale
Prosperity
1848–1870
Improved nutrition—meat and fruit available to working class people
Drop in food prices—due to increased trade with other countries, growth of empire
Industrial Revolution—new goods, wealth, jobs
Education reform—literacy rates rise
Victorians believed social and economic problems could be solved by progress.
A Society of Propriety
Decorum and Prudery• Victorians thought of themselves as progressing
morally and intellectually
• Books and magazines censored
• “Fallen women” pushed to margins of society
A Society of Propriety
Authoritarian Values
• Women subject to male authority
• Middle-class women expected to marry; confined to role of homemaker
• Unmarried women had few options
• Social order intended to control immorality and excess
• Greater understanding of earth, its creatures, and natural laws
Progress in Science
The March of the Mind
• Darwin and the theory of evolution
• Advances in technology, chemistry, and engineering
• Scientists such as Thomas Huxley—confident humans could figure out the laws of the physical universe
early microscope
Questions and Doubts
The March of the Mind
Some Victorian writers . . . • asked whether material
comfort was enough
• protested or mocked codes of decorum
• questioned whether the natural world really made sense
A. E. Housman
Charles Dickens—most popular Victorian writer
The March of the Mind
• Depicted abused and exploited people
• Attacked superficiality and excesses of Victorian affluence
• Raised questions about the costs of progress
Scene from Oliver Twist
1. In general, most Victorians valued _____ .
a. progress b. decorum c. order
d. all of the above
2. _____ was an authority on public health.
a. Florence Nightingale b. Octavia Hill
c. Queen Victoria
3. The most popular Victorian writer was _____.
a. Hardy b. Dickens c. Housman
What Have You Learned?
Choose the word that correctly completes the sentence.
d. all of the above
a. Florence Nightingale
b. Dickens
END