Concetti Chiave
- The Victorian age is named after Queen Victoria, whose lifestyle and manners significantly influenced society, leading to a new Puritanism.
- This era marked significant colonial expansion, with the UK acquiring new territories in India, Africa, and America, which provided resources at lower costs.
- The middle class gained prominence, securing positions in Parliament due to technological advancements, marking a societal shift.
- Despite improvements in infrastructure, Victorian society faced a dichotomy between affluent towns and exploited working classes living in poor conditions.
- The introduction of the New Poor Law aimed to address poverty through workhouses, but corruption led to exploitation and increased crime rates.
The Influence of Queen Victoria
The Victorian age was so called because the prominent figure of this period was the queen Victoria who had a very long reign. The queen was such an important person that the period took her name. She was important because her manners, her lifestyle influenced the society of the time. She didn’t want to spend her time to theatre, entertainment and for this reason the society developed a new Puritanism. This period was marked by many, many events, also from the religious point of view: the Catholics could profess their religion without problems.
Colonial Expansion and Progress
Victorian age was the period when middle class reached his maximum: for the first time had a place in Parliament and in government (this was thank to the progress in technology). Another landmark is the colonial expansion of the United Kingdom (India, Africa, America, all setting new materials to a convenient price). Transport and the road system were improved. But if on the one hand all these situations improved a lot the life in the country, these same conditions contributed to problems. The so called Victorian compromises consisted in a sort of dichotomy that existed in the society: nice towns, respectable people versus exploited working class and shabby residences. These slums also existed in the first industrial revolution, but grew in number and stood, invisible to the middle class’s sight. Their sacrifice was essential to the others lifestyle. At some point the government had to do something, also because the criminality rate increased and woman became prostitutes, so a law was made: the new poor law that established the institution of structures that could have faced this problem called workhouses. They should have been hold by the government to provide the poor with everything they needed to find a job. They were separated between man, women and children. Children’s workhouses were run by parishes. The actual work was done by a corrupted official, who kept the money for himself and starved the poor. Children were taken by criminals, especially pickpockets to steal.
Domande da interrogazione
- How did Queen Victoria's personal preferences influence societal norms during her reign?
- What were the key advancements and challenges during the Victorian age in terms of social and economic development?
- What measures were taken to address the social issues arising from the Victorian compromises, and what were their shortcomings?
Queen Victoria's aversion to theatre and entertainment led to the development of a new Puritanism in society, reflecting her personal lifestyle and manners.
The Victorian age saw the rise of the middle class in Parliament and government due to technological progress, alongside colonial expansion. However, this era also faced challenges such as the exploitation of the working class and the growth of slums, leading to social dichotomies.
The government introduced the new poor law, establishing workhouses to aid the poor. However, these were often mismanaged by corrupt officials, leading to inadequate support and exploitation, particularly of children.
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