Concetti Chiave
- The Victorian era was characterized by a strong moral code, emphasizing duty, respectability, hard work, and charity, though these values were not always adhered to in reality.
- Britain's wealth during Queen Victoria's reign was based on trade, leading to its status as the "workshop of the world" and a prominent utilitarian society.
- Queen Victoria, becoming queen at 18, was initially seen as merely a figurehead with little power, while ministers like Melbourne and Peel actually governed.
- Despite societal expectations, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, her cousin and consort, worked together to manage significant events like the Great Exhibition of 1851.
- Queen Victoria redefined monarchy by making her family appear relatable, contrasting their opulent lifestyle with the poverty depicted by authors like Dickens.
Victorians were great moralizer, they had a code of values based on:
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duty
respectability
hard work
charity
During Victorian age there was the idea that all these rules were respected in front of all people, but it wasn’t.
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Britain wealth was based on profit -> Utilitarian Society
During this age Britain became the workshop of the world
Society based on trades and was the best entroponarse of the world
It was one of the most prophecies age
Queen Victoria I was called the empress of India
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1837 she became queen at the age of 18 year old
1901 she died
Her long reign is not the longest now.
She was an obstinate queen, this was useful to stay at the head of a great empire
Queen Victoria let the reign become a powerful country all over the world.
Victoria was not considered fixed to rule by the population and by the parliament
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She was a young woman
she had to fight to obtain her position
Her figure, at the start, was just representative, but she didn’t want so
she hadn’t any power
the ministers ruled the country (especially Melbourne and Peel)
everyone wanted to manipulate her
At the beginning: She could never rule but she could just reign, she was a queen without power
Undergo changes
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The ministers decided she had to get married -> with prince Albert Sax-Coburg (1840)
He was her first cousin
He had german origins (he had to learn english)
He was a great man who supported her, and helped her
They had 9 children
She presented herself to the parliament: she was intimidated but, not the less she was too young, she spoke in front of the parliament with a clear voice; she was very determinate.
She lived all over her life in her castle (projected by Albert), she never moved from there.
While people moved to cities to find job, the queen moved away from Backingham Palace, to the countryside. At first for her holiday in 1835.
She reinvented the monarchy and the role of the queen
-> Her predecessor, addicted to alcohol and prostitutecy had lots of troubles with the country and people were not trusting any more in their monarch.
What was important was to understand troubles of people: overworking, child exploitation, malnutrition, famine.
BUT The demand of the subject was to have an ordinary queen, not a God-like king
She invented the role of the royal family.
She let the society enter in her life.
They were depicted as an ordinary family -> they wanted to be a model (but no one could live like them).
But this precious life was in contrast with the squalor of the streets life, which is presented in Dickens’ works.
Domande da interrogazione
- Quali erano i valori fondamentali della società vittoriana?
- Come è stata percepita inizialmente la regina Vittoria dal popolo e dal parlamento?
- Qual era il ruolo delle donne durante l'epoca vittoriana?
- Qual è stato il contributo del principe Alberto durante il regno della regina Vittoria?
- In che modo la regina Vittoria ha reinventato la monarchia?
I valori fondamentali della società vittoriana erano il dovere, la rispettabilità, il duro lavoro e la carità.
Inizialmente, la regina Vittoria non era considerata adatta a governare dal popolo e dal parlamento, e la sua figura era vista solo come rappresentativa.
Durante l'epoca vittoriana, il ruolo delle donne era limitato; non potevano votare o lavorare e si occupavano principalmente della casa e dei figli.
Il principe Alberto, cugino e marito della regina Vittoria, la supportò e contribuì alla gestione della Grande Esposizione del 1851, tra le altre cose.
La regina Vittoria ha reinventato la monarchia presentandosi come una figura familiare e ordinaria, in contrasto con i suoi predecessori, e ha permesso alla società di entrare nella vita della famiglia reale.
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