The Victorian period: categorized by the reign of Queen Victoria 1837-1901. She became queen when
she was only 18 and had an incredibly long and successful rule.
During her reign, we see a lot of the same issues we saw just beginning in the Romantic period. They will
become more entrenched during the early years of her reign. We’ll see three major issues being
debated during this period.
1. Industrialism’s Social/Economic Issues:
Industrialization booms. Great improvements in transportation and manufacturing. With that we get
further stratification of the social classes. The poor are extremely poor. The working class is trying to
make ends meet. The middle classes are trying to improve their positions. The rich keep getting richer.
These changes made many people uncomfortable. They longed for a return to the more easily
identifiable status system of the past, largely based on inheritance or lack thereof. Others will focus on
the social evils that result from industrialization and urbanization. We’ll see writers like Charles Dickens
trying to paint a realistic picture of poverty in the cities.
Social problems like urban living conditions, prostitution, etc. will see some improvements during this
period. Early in her reign, Victoria will intentionally tackle some of those big problems in order to better
the lives of the working poor in her kingdom. The problems will never be completely solved, though.
Others will praise industrialism and the rise of machines as creating an advanced and superior society.
They will see the improvements of their age as something to be celebrated. Victoria’s husband, Prince
Albert, is usually considered to be in this category on account of his Great Exhibition.
2. Religious Conflict
We suddenly see very open questioning of Christianity in a way we’ve never seen it in England before.
Of course, the heresy laws have relaxed a great deal by this time and they’re no longer burning people
who veer from the party line on doctrine. During the Victorian period, we see society starting to believe
that its ok to question Christianity.
The main thing bringing up religious questions and doubts is science. The idea of evolution had been
floating around since Sir Charles Lyell’s Principle of Geology in 1830. The issue exploded in 1859, though,
when Darwin published his Origin of the Species.
Evolution became both a scientific debate and a religious debate. There was huge opposition from
scientists who argued that Darwin’s methods, and therefore resulting theories, were unsound. The
religious debate arose because the theories called into question a literal interpretation of the Bible,
which many found unacceptable.
As with any religious movement, you’re going to see a counter-movement intent on squashing the
changes. So we’ll see writers like Matthew Arnold who are zealous Christians advocating for blind
acceptance of standard church doctrine.
3. The Woman Question:
“The greatest social difficulty in England today is the relationship between men and women. …
The institution of marriage might also seem just now to be upon trial.” Justin M’Carthy (1864).
A major debate was raging during Victoria’s reign over the role of women as wives, mother, and
daughters. A lot of this debate was stemming from Victoria herself. She was a wife and mother as well
as a queen. Her conflicting roles in society lead to others questioning the roles of women.
Although she was an empress, ruling over about half the world, Victoria was still subject to her husband.
In 1858 she wrote a letter to one of her daughters discussing how woman’s God-given duty was always
submission. Victoria held many conflicting views of women. She advocated education for women and
supported the founding of a women’s college in 1847. On the other hand, she was opposed to women’s
suffrage which she called a “mad folly.”
We see a lot of writers weighing in on “the woman question” as well. One popular form of literature at
the time was the “Guidebook.” This type of book was meant to instruct young women on how to behave
properly in any situation. For example, one taught that women should always wear a wedding ring so
that whenever she felt upset she could “cast her eyes upon it and call to mind who gave it to her,” thus
reinforcing her submissive status. Victorian women were supposed to be “the angel in the house” –
calm, nurturing, sweet tempered, devout, and largely silent.
We also see the other side of this issue with people continuing Wollstonecraft’s argument. George Eliot
claims the pedestal men put women on is the main obstacle to women’s achievement.
Another issue for women is productivity. Middle and upper class women suffer from intense boredom
because their society says there are no appropriate activities for them beyond reading and sewing.
Boredom became a status symbol. On the other hand, about a fourth of England’s women held jobs.
These were usually servile or domestic jobs that never payed much.