historical introduction Flashcards
(20 cards)
who was the monarch during this period? what were her dates of reign?
queen victoria, 1837 - 1901
what were the dates of the victorian period?
1832 - 1901
what is meant by the hungry forties?
a million & a half unemployed workers, bad life & hunger. poverty in the 1840s
what is the main characterization of this period?
time of relative peace & economic growth. the empire grew, industrial revolution expanded & political power extended to the middle & working class
what are specific problems that gave rise to the hungry forties
economic depression, widespread unemployment, famine in ireland, & deplorable living & working conditions
reforms for voting:
1867- working class men except agricultural workers, great war - women 30 & over & 1928 - women 21
reforms for labor laws :
limited child labor, reduced work
reforms for education :
schools established - 1870
reforms for literacy :
1900 - simple definition of literacy 90% of population became literate
what word is synonymous with the victorian period? & what are examples to support this?
prudery - joyous motherhoods, sex & birth, babies become angels/gentile
why did this emphasis on decorum occur?
supported powerful ideas about authority
in what scientific & technological areas were advanced made?
chemistry, science & engineering
what was the victorian attitude toward authority, & how did this attitude manifest itself in their everyday life?
women were subject to male authority, middle class women were expected to marry & make their homes a comfortable refuge. women who didn’t mary had few occupations available
what was the effect on 19th century intellectuals & reformers?
human efforts could overcome all material problems
who are the players in the huxley’s chess game?
every individual
in general, what was the impact of victorian literature & writers?
influencing materialism, secularism, vulgarity & sheer waste
what is the significance of dickens & ruskins comments in their writing? what questions were they asking?
costs of progress in descriptions
explain the heading “from trust to skepticism & denial”
slowly stopped trusting & celebrated relation between humans & natural world
what were four purposed found in victorian literature?
entertain, inform, warned & reassured
