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= The Victorian Era (1832-1901) =



Introduction:
The Victorian Era in England coincides with the rule of Queen Victoria from the beginning on her reign on June 20, 1837 until her death on January 22, 1901. She reigned for a total of 64 years making her the longest ruling monarch in the history of the British empire.

The spirit of the Victorian Era came about with the passing of the Reform Act of 1832. At this time, the societal changes from the Industrial Revolution were really starting to be felt. It was an era of peace, also known as the //Pax Britannica,// and progress, pressing industrial improvement and political reform.

In terms of art and literature, it marks a shift from rationalism to romanticism. It is considered a high point in British literature. The __#|novel__ also became widely popular during the Victorian Era.

The Era of Queen Victoria:

 * The Victorian Era officially began when Queen Victoria took the throne in 1837 at the age of 18 and continued till her death in 1901.
 * When Queen Victoria took the crown she was determined to remake the royal name in order to not fall into the same kind of scandalous conduct that Kings George IV and William IV before her. As such she placed a high value on moral behavior.
 * Queen Victoria took to the __idea__ of a [|constitutional monarchy] in which she as the queen gave advice rather than orders to the government, which, with __the help__ of some good Prime Ministers, let the country flourish.
 * This led to a large swell in the middle class and a subsequent economic and imperialistic boom.
 * Queen Victoria had an arranged marriage to her German cousin Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in 1840.
 * When Prince Albert died in 1861 Queen Victoria mourned him greatly for the rest of her life, which led her to take an even smaller role in government.

**Historical Background:**

 * Comes after Georgian Era
 * Followed by Edwardian Era
 * During end of Industrial Revolution.
 * Ends with the death of Queen Victoria in 1901

Themes:
Imperialism: Victorian Ideals: > More [|here]
 * The British Empire was continually expanding and increasing it's size by taking new territories
 * More on imperialism [|here]
 * The ideal Victorian male should have certain characteristics such as honor, loyalty, intelligence, moral uprightness and it does not hurt to have a good __income__. More [|here]
 * A woman's place was in the home, as domesticity and motherhood were considered by society at large to be a sufficient emotional fulfillment for females. These constructs kept women far away from the public sphere in most ways, but during the 19th century __#|charitable__ missions did begin to extend the female role of service
 * High standards often lead to pessimism and despair.

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Literary Themes:
 * Romanticism and Mysticism.
 * [|Chairacteristics of the Victorian Era]

Style:

 * [|Chairacteristics of the Victorian Era]
 * Prose written in verse novel.
 * Poetry tends to be elegiac.

Authors:

 * **@Charlotte Bronte**
 * **@Elizabeth Browning**
 * **@Robert Browning**
 * **@Charles Dickens**
 * **@Sir Arthur Conan Doyle**
 * **@George Eliot**
 * **@Bram Stoker**
 * **@Oscar Wilde**
 * **Gerald Manley Hopkins**
 * **Alfred Lord Tennyson**
 * A.E. Housman
 * Thomas Hardy