The Victorian Era

The biggest news buzzing around Europe during the Victorian Era was the crowning of the new queen. Receiving her title in June of 1837 and proudly ruling until her death in 1901. The Victorian Era was named for the time period of Queen Victoria’s reign. Only 18 when she came to the throne, Victoria oversaw England at the height of its overseas power. Through hard work and dedication to her country.The British Empire was established in her reign, and it reached its peak under her power. The government was set up of a constitutional monarch headed by Queen Victoria. Only the royalty could rule. Other politicians came from the aristocracy. The system was criticized by many as being in favor of the upper classes, and during the late 18th century, philosophers and writers began to question the social status of the nobility.


In 1888, the serial killer known as Jack the Ripper murdered and mutilated five know prostitutes from the streets of London. During this time many women could have been murdered and no one even known about it. This murderer won himself a world-wide press coverage and mass hysteria. Newspapers used the deaths to bring greater focus on the plea of the unemployed and to attack police and political leaders. The killer was never caught, and the affair contributed to Sir Charles Warren's resignation.


Before the Industrial Revolution, Britain had a very rigid social structure consisting of three distinct classes; the Church and aristocracy, the middle class, and the working class. Within the top call were the Church and nobility. This class had the power and the wealth. Only two percent of the population is in this class. The middle class or bourgeoisie was made up of factory owners, bankers, shopkeepers, merchants, lawyers, engineers, businessmen, traders, and other professionals. These people could be sometimes extremely rich, but in normal circumstances they were not privileged, and they especially resented this. The British lower class was divided into two sections, the working class and the poor. Both the poor class and the middle class had to endure a large burden of tax. This third class consisted of about eighty-five percent of the population.


Industrialisation changed the class structure dramatically in the late 18th century. This was one of the most radical changes from the Romantic Period to the Victorian Era. Industrialisation helped create hostile feelings between the upper and lower classes. As a result of factories and industry taking over ended the beautiful way of life. Prior to the boom in industry, life was less complicating. Society was and will always have something to do with money and status for some people. However, any poem/letter I have read in the Romantic Period was filled to the brim with love and imagination and heart. Nature and human coinciding were largely part of the Romantic period rather than the Victorian Era.

Multiple times through out the Victorian Period numerous people constantly found themselves questioning and raising doubts. Victorian composers would question whet er if material would satisfy human needs and wants. Within the beginning of the Victorian period some writers "complained that materialist ideas of reality, completely overlooked the spirit or soul that made life beautiful and just."-Elements of Literature. The start of the Victorian period began the "Acre in Middlesex". Historian Thomas Babington Macaulay voiced his opinion of improving society both morally and materially. Romantic writers were more about living in the moment and living life to the fullest. However, the Victorian writers were more conservative. Sex or anything along that nature were not put into exact words. Society as a whole became literate, due to schools and regulations becoming part of everyday life.