Concetti Chiave
- England's colonial power during the Victorian era was bolstered by its numerous colonies in Asia, India, and Africa, leading to its status as the world's foremost power.
- The industrial revolution in England reached its peak with innovations like railways, significantly boosting commerce and connecting regions such as Yorkshire and London.
- The Mid Victorian Age was marked by optimism, driven by reforms like the 1867 "reform bills" that expanded voting rights and the "factory act" improving workers' conditions.
- Victorian societal values emphasized appearances and material success, often ignoring underlying societal issues to maintain a façade of an ideal life.
- Literature of the Victorian era featured defined plots and happy endings, catering to middle-class readers' preferences for relatable stories and resolutions.
England's colonial power
England was the most powerful country because it had a lot of colonies in Asia, India and Africa.
During this period England reached the highest level of industrialization. England became the first country in the world, leading power. Important discoveries were made such as railways: they helped a lot with commerce and it became primarily a passenger service then to transport goods. Midland railway wanted to transform a regional network into a strategic long-distance system, carrying Yorkshire coal to the industries in London. So they built another line into London and the Great London Gothic station at St. Pancras opened in 1868.
Mid Victorian Age optimism
Mid Victorian Age is considered an optimistic period because the Dutch War in South Africa was won by English people and they obtained South Africa as a colony, so precious for mines.
The most important period was the Mid-Late period. There were a series of reforms. The first one was the “reform bills” in 1867. People started to have the right to vote. Another important law was the “factory act” to improve the quality of workers’ life.
Between 1838-1848
Another important law was the “Corn Law” to protect the production of corn, so they maintained the price of corn artificially high.
During this period the middle class was the strongest class, got the money and played an important role in politics.
Victorian societal values
During the Victorian age the population faced a large number of problems, so they promoted a code of values that reflected the world as they wanted to be. They preferred to ignore those problems to give a good appearance (beautiful life, family, house). They were only interested in making money and becoming powerful, thanks to the reading. In fact the level of reading was very high.
The Victorian novel has a defined plot, setting and characters, with a happy ending because the reader wanted it (the writer was at one with the reader). Those novels were understandable and talked about common situations. Why? Because the writer came from the middle class and addressed the middle class, instead in the modern novel the writers didn’t care about the readers.
The
Domande da interrogazione
- How did England's colonial power contribute to its status as a leading global power during the Victorian era?
- What were some key reforms during the Mid Victorian Age that contributed to societal optimism?
- How did Victorian societal values influence the literature of the time?
England's colonial power was a significant factor in its status as a leading global power, as it had numerous colonies in Asia, India, and Africa. This extensive colonial reach, combined with its advanced industrialization and innovations like the railways, positioned England as the world's foremost power during this period.
The Mid Victorian Age was marked by optimism due to several key reforms, including the "reform bills" of 1867, which expanded voting rights, and the "factory act," which aimed to improve workers' quality of life. These reforms, along with England's victory in the Dutch War in South Africa, contributed to a sense of progress and optimism.
Victorian societal values, which emphasized appearances and material success, heavily influenced the literature of the time. Victorian novels often featured defined plots, settings, and characters with happy endings, reflecting the desires of the middle-class readers who sought relatable stories and a sense of resolution.
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