The Victorian Period
The Victorian era indicates a certain ideology, a way of thinking and living, spiritual atmosphere, the complex moral and ethical principles and successful progressive development of society. The term "The Victorian Period" received the broadest interpretation. It was reduced to only the positive sides of Victorian culture, stable aesthetic and ethical standards, which are not present in today's society. The Victorian Period is associated with the long reign of Queen Victoria (1837- 1901), but it is very significant for the subsequent development of English history, culture, and literature. During this period England acquired the status of a great colonial power (Chang, 2). The Victorian Period is associated with the inviolability of tradition, the importance of democracy and moral philosophy. In fact, it was the Victorians who proved the importance of spiritual values in the formation of the national mentality and an individual's place in the history and civilization.
British started to deal with domestic problems rather than political ones when the Napoleonic Wars ended in 1815. The growth of industrialization introduced new opportunities and challenges for workers, people moved to industrial towns, there was a division of class interests that were main points of an early Victorian era. In 1830 Byron proclaimed luxury and privilege as the most important issues that were represented by the dandy in Edward Bulwer’s Pelham that was one of the most popular novels of that time. The dandy looked like a beautiful person whose life was divided between dress and fun. From the other point of view, self-discipline was a crucial power of social progress and social orders was considered to be a providential arrangement. The technological revolutions provided a great impact on literature. The development of machine-made paper decreased the cost of printing because previously poetry was the most popular literature due to its relative brevity and made reading more popular. A bank crisis of 1825 also influenced the literary sphere and some big publishing firms failed. The Victorian cult of domestic was a response to above-mentioned issues. The domestic woman had a great moral capacity, devoted herself to the needs of others and served men. In this regard, gender caused political conflicts and was the reason why writers dedicated their works to the role of woman in modern society. It is impossible to divide these two worlds from one another. (Adams, 7-9)
The Victorian period is characterized by changes in regards to the social, political and moral issues in England. Literature is a mirror of society and this era proclaimed conservative principles towards women, gender inequalities in all spheres and an unsatisfied role of women in society. The works during the nineteenth century pay great attention to lives of Victorian women and domestic ideology. For example, Coventry Partmore’s The Angel in the House and John Ruskin’s Of Queens’ Gardens are devoted to the domestic practices of that time, such works as Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and The Woman in white by Wilkie Collins deal with tensions regarding the women problems. In other words, above-mentioned works contradict the idea of idealized feminity during the Victorian Period. The main problem of period that was manifested in literature is that women were considered to be objects of attraction and desire, but they wanted to be independent and respected personalities. Many writers decided to represent strong women who are ready to protect their rights instead of beautiful ones. For example, Jane Eyre is not so beautiful and Marian Halcombe is an ugly woman, but they are represented as strong women. The role of woman in society was changed by Jane Eyre, the author manifests the necessity of education, employment and ability to express feelings in society. This work especially challenged traditional perception of women by the Victorian era. (Rubino, 1-17)
New inventions forced men to work more and bourgeous marriage as a need to marry someone’s income appeared. Thus, there appeared a trend to depict wife as a victim who was sold to rich men as Mill discussed in Subjection of Women and Wollstonecraft’s Vindication. In this regard, socialist-feminist reformers demanded to assert women’s sexual desires. Friends of Birgalone on the Isle of Increase Unsought proclaim sexual nature of their speech. Birdalome proved that woman was believed to follow her romantic aims and have the outdoor activity to meet men. The literature of the era pays great attention to relationships with older women and mothers as an aspect of women formation. Thus, Birdalone unites with her mother and gets new knowledge of her past and her wishes. Morris represents her as a new woman, beautiful, athletic, clever and artistically gifted. She reaches all her goals and begins an adult life with equals, lovers, and friends. (Boos, 159-173)
English literature and one of the most brilliant pages of world culture. It is not surprise that modern writers do not hesitate to borrow key ideas from the literature of the XIX century to reinterpret classic examples of Victorian literature.
Works Cited
Adams, James Eli. A History of Victorian Literature: A John Wiley & Sons, 2009.
Boos, Florence. The Socialist "New Woman" and William Morris’s The Water of the Wondrous
Isles: AMS PRESS, 1995.
Rubino, Vittoria. The New Woman in Victorian Literature. The Victorian (2013): 1-17. Print.
Chang, Heesok. Introduction to Victorian and Twentieth-Century Literature. Volume IV:
Victorian and Twentieth-Century Literature (N.d.): 1-24. Print.
