The Victorian The Victorian EraEra

• Between the Georgian Between the Georgian Era and the Eduardian Era and the Eduardian EraEra• Shaped around the Shaped around the period of Queen period of Queen Victoria’s reignVictoria’s reign• Reigned June 1837, Reigned June 1837, until her death on the until her death on the 2222ndnd of January, 1901 of January, 1901• Considered long period Considered long period of peace, except for the of peace, except for the Crimean WarCrimean War•Population of England Population of England doubled from 16.8 doubled from 16.8 million to 30.5 millionmillion to 30.5 million

Culture Culture

• ^Palace of Westminster^Palace of Westminster

• Gothic revival architecture became very popularGothic revival architecture became very popular• Battle of Styles started as a fight between Gothic and Battle of Styles started as a fight between Gothic and

Classical idealsClassical ideals• John Ruskin modernized this architecture created the John Ruskin modernized this architecture created the

Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace• Photography invented in this period, Queen Elizabeth was Photography invented in this period, Queen Elizabeth was

the first British monarch to be photographedthe first British monarch to be photographed

EntertainmentEntertainment• Entertainment varied Entertainment varied with social classwith social class• Theatres and arts were Theatres and arts were widely attendedwidely attended• > The Bandstand> The Bandstand• Best architectural wayBest architectural wayto create ornamental focalto create ornamental focalpointpoint• Casinos and gambling Casinos and gambling also became popularalso became popular• A new form of entertainment required A new form of entertainment required

“spectacles”, where paranormal event occurred “spectacles”, where paranormal event occurred such as hypnotism and communication with the such as hypnotism and communication with the dead, involving the audiencedead, involving the audience

Technology and Technology and EngineeringEngineering

• Joseph Bazalgette hadJoseph Bazalgette had

designed a London sewage designed a London sewage

System, London Underground,System, London Underground,

water pipes, and Thameswater pipes, and Thames

EmbankmentEmbankment• Studied natural historyStudied natural history• Charles Darwin, Charles Darwin, On the On the

Origin of SpeciesOrigin of Species, 1859, 1859• Gas lighting widespread Gas lighting widespread

along streets, and heating for along streets, and heating for

homeshomes

Health and MedicineHealth and Medicine• Nitrous Oxide by Nitrous Oxide by

HumphryHumphry

Davy, 1799Davy, 1799• Anesthetics by WilliamAnesthetics by William

Morton, 1846 for surgeriesMorton, 1846 for surgeries• Queen Victoria used for Queen Victoria used for

birth birth

of eighth childof eighth child• European diet became European diet became

muchmuch

sweeter, widespread sugarsweeter, widespread sugar• Led to “Waterloo Teeth”Led to “Waterloo Teeth”• Took new teeth from dead Took new teeth from dead

criminalscriminals• Hospital staff wear glovesHospital staff wear gloves

PovertyPoverty• Huge population increaseHuge population increase• Rapid urbanization as result ofRapid urbanization as result of

Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution• Brought skilled and unskilledBrought skilled and unskilled

workers, lowering wagesworkers, lowering wages• Housing scarce and expensiveHousing scarce and expensive• Overcrowded Overcrowded • Dwelling slum houses Dwelling slum houses

developed as landlords fail to maintain large developed as landlords fail to maintain large houseshouses

Child LaborChild Labor• Employment of young kids during Employment of young kids during economic hardship, IReconomic hardship, IR• Children expected to help out familyChildren expected to help out familybudget if poor, long and dangerous budget if poor, long and dangerous

jobsjobswhile getting no educationwhile getting no education• 16 hour work days, most died 16 hour work days, most died

beforebeforeage 25 until Factory Acts passed 1802age 25 until Factory Acts passed 1802• Restricted amount of hours able toRestricted amount of hours able towork for ages under 18work for ages under 18• Flaw: only for textile industry untilFlaw: only for textile industry untilagitation to new act in 1847, everyoneagitation to new act in 1847, everyone10 hour days10 hour days

ProstitutionProstitution• Late 1840’s, prostitution became popular, known as Late 1840’s, prostitution became popular, known as

“The“The

Great Social Evil”Great Social Evil”• 750,000 women unmarried because not enough men750,000 women unmarried because not enough men• Magdalene Asylums were institutions of the Catholic Magdalene Asylums were institutions of the Catholic

Church,Church,

making nuns out of “fallen women”making nuns out of “fallen women”• Prostitution considered violation of homemaking role Prostitution considered violation of homemaking role

of womenof women• Divorce legislation Divorce legislation

introduced for men to introduced for men to

divorce wife for adulterydivorce wife for adultery• Moral reforms startedMoral reforms started

The Lady of ShalottThe Lady of Shalott• • The Lady of Shalott The Lady of Shalott lives in an island castle lives in an island castle in a river which flows to in a river which flows to Camelot but no one Camelot but no one knows who she is. knows who she is. • • She is cursed, and so She is cursed, and so must constantly weave a must constantly weave a magic web without magic web without looking directly out at the looking directly out at the world and does this by gazing in a world and does this by gazing in a

mirrormirror

The Lady of Shalott The Lady of Shalott Cont…Cont…• • One day she sees Sir Lancelot One day she sees Sir Lancelot

and breaks the curse by looking and breaks the curse by looking

out the window at him withoutout the window at him without

using a mirrorusing a mirror

• • She climbs down from her She climbs down from her

castle and finds a boat and flows castle and finds a boat and flows

down the river to Camelot while down the river to Camelot while

singing her death songsinging her death song

• • She dies before reaching the palaceShe dies before reaching the palace

• • When the locals find the boat and her body they When the locals find the boat and her body they

then realize who she is and Sir Lancelot finds her then realize who she is and Sir Lancelot finds her

beautiful and prays God will have mercy on her soul. beautiful and prays God will have mercy on her soul.

The Lady of Shalott The Lady of Shalott BackgroundBackground

• • A Victorian ballad by the English A Victorian ballad by the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson • • Alfred, Lord Tennyson used of Alfred, Lord Tennyson used of blank verse, rare in his day, which blank verse, rare in his day, which may be related to his complete tone may be related to his complete tone deafness which made it hard for him deafness which made it hard for him to follow the conventional rhythms to follow the conventional rhythms of the poetry of his day.of the poetry of his day.• • Tennyson used a wide range of Tennyson used a wide range of subject matter, ranging from medieval subject matter, ranging from medieval legends to classical myths and from domestic legends to classical myths and from domestic

situations to situations to observations of nature, as source material for his observations of nature, as source material for his

poetry poetry