Victoria Era
10 Questions
0 Views

Choose a study mode

Play Quiz
Study Flashcards
Spaced Repetition
Chat to lesson

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

The Victorian era in British history started approximately in 1800.

False

The Victorian period was characterized by a equal society.

False

Britain was a weak nation with a poor culture during the Victorian period.

False

The Victorian era was marked by a complete absence of discussion about sex.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

In Victorian society, men and women were considered to be equal.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Victorian society had a gender-neutral approach to sex and relationships.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The working class made up around 50% of the population.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The middle class got its income from wages.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Men were expected to run households and raise families.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The middle class made up around 15% of the population at the beginning of the 19th century.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Victorian Era

  • The Victorian era in British history spans from approximately 1820 to 1914, roughly corresponding to Queen Victoria's reign (1837-1901).
  • The period is characterized by a class-based society, growing number of people able to vote, a growing state and economy, and Britain's status as the most powerful empire in the world.

Society and Culture

  • Britain was a powerful nation with a rich culture, stable government, growing state, and expanding franchise during the Victorian period.
  • The country controlled a large empire and was wealthy due to industrialization and imperial holdings, despite three-fourths of its population being working-class.

Victorian Stereotype

  • The term "Victorian" connotes a prudish refusal to admit the existence of sex, hypocritically combined with constant discussions of sex.
  • Some educated Victorians wrote about sex, including pornography, medical treatises, and psychological studies.
  • Respectable middle-class women were proud of how little they knew about their own bodies and childbirth.

Sexual Double Standard

  • Victorians lived with a sexual double standard where men wanted and needed sex, and women were free of sexual desire and submitted to sex only to please their husbands.
  • This standard did not mesh with the reality of prostitution, venereal disease, women with sexual desires, and men and women with same-sex desires.

Social Hierarchy

  • Victorian society was organized hierarchically, with gender and class as the main organizing principles of identity and status.
  • Race, religion, region, and occupation were also important aspects of identity and status.

Gender and Class

  • Victorian gender ideology was premised on the "doctrine of separate spheres," stating that men and women were different and meant for different things.
  • Men were considered physically strong, while women were weak; men were independent, while women were dependent.
  • Men belonged in the public sphere, while women belonged in the private sphere.

Working and Middle Class

  • The working class (70-80% of the population) got its income from wages, with family incomes usually under £100 per annum.
  • The middle class (growing from 15 to over 25% of the population during the 19th century) got its income from salaries and profit, with incomes ranging from £100 to £1,000 per annum.

Studying That Suits You

Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.

Quiz Team

More Like This

Use Quizgecko on...
Browser
Browser