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The Victorian era brought about many changes and the introduction of new things. One issue that stood out was “The Sex.” Many things evolved around this issue like changes in laws all over, it became a topic for literary poets/ writers and also for the woman question. This term means discrimination based on a person’s sex and during the 19th century this was a vast issue toward women. This all Started from the early Victorian era with queen victoria, who was the monarch of the united kingdom of Great Britain from 1837- 1901. Being the queen she played a very substantial role during this time. As a wife she showed a domestic side. She supported Prince Albert, had his children, became very submissive and devoted to her husband a family. This image she portrayed became a trend to the outside world. Most people looked at this as what the ideal woman was during this era.
The sex was a topic that began to spread and women started to fight for their voices to be heard. There were introductions of new laws in many countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and etcetera....
When describing women during this time period Wilson says, “They were non-people, being the same legal status as American slaves, regardless of social class” (Wilson, The Victorians, pp. 306). One extreme double standard could be seen within British prostitution. Wilson said that it was “taken for granted” that British soldiers and sailors would need prostitutes. Yet, no matter how many men indulged in these acts only the women were seen as diseased and sources of contamination that needed regulated (Wilson, The Victorians, pp. 308. Women began to take notice, and they were not having it and they began to take action. The women of the upper middle class started the nineteenth century women’s movement. These women would go on to forever alter the lives of their sisters and daughters by advocating for equal educational rights, equal parental rights, and for political suffrage (Wilson, The Victorians, pp. 312). Not only did they advocate for these rights, their campaigning invoked change to begin. Wilson says, “The Women’s Suffrage Movement could be seen as the final confirmation of the haute bourgeoisie, not the first blast on the trumpet of revolution” (Wilson, The Victorians, pp. 313). Throughout the period Women gained more and more rights and they eventually would have created a great deal of change in the lives for every women who was to come
In the late 1700s after the American revolution there was an industrial revolution and men started the earn money while the women stayed home. All the way through the early 1800s there was a huge deterioration in women's rights. In 1824 the courts voted in favor of " The Rule Of Thumb" which stated that a man could beat his wife if the stick was less thick than the width of his thumb. They also lost their right to vote. The women's dresses had to get more and more elaborate with hoop skirts by the mid 1800s. They became icons of beauty and nothing more.
The sexual revolution happened during the 1960’s and although I’m sure that close to none of us have heard of it, it was a huge impact on American history and is the reason why our society is the way it is now. It happened at least 55 years ago but the outcome of it can be seen in many of our cultures today; it changed the way we see, express, and think about sexuality. During the 1960’s, John F. Kennedy became president of the United States (and was also assassinated years later), there was a fight for civil rights; the sexual revolution wasn’t as quickly noticed as the other historical moments but was still just as important.
During the Victorian Era, society had idealized expectations that all members of their culture were supposedly striving to accomplish. These conditions were partially a result of the development of middle class practices during the “industrial revolution… [which moved] men outside the home… [into] the harsh business and industrial world, [while] women were left in the relatively unvarying and sheltered environments of their homes” (Brannon 161). This division of genders created the ‘Doctrine of Two Spheres’ where men were active in the public Sphere of Influence, and women were limited to the domestic private Sphere of Influence. Both genders endured considerable pressure to conform to the idealized status of becoming either a masculine ‘English Gentleman’ or a feminine ‘True Woman’. The characteristics required women to be “passive, dependent, pure, refined, and delicate; [while] men were active, independent, coarse …strong [and intelligent]” (Brannon 162). Many children's novels utilized these gendere...
During the Victorian era women were viewed as a parallel of the prevalent discrepancies between the UK’s power and wealth, then versus now now. The 1800’s were characterized with the stereotype of abundant and inconspicuous taboo sexualities. The mere thought of any sexual desire would cause an uproar. The attire reflected the general consensus of how people were viewed. Desire and modesty were forces that passed over to modern times.
James Joyce sets A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man in the Victoria Age. The Double
Women were expected to set the example for their children, satisfy the needs of their husbands, and it was unheard of for women to express their sexual desires. During this time women were placed into two categories, they were either virgins or married, any woman who did not fit into either of these categories was considered a whore and this meant she was essentially useless. “If a woman went into a hansom alone with a man who was neither her father, nor her husband […] her reputation was irretrievably lost” (Swisher, 181). This shows that even though people did not know the whole story, they judged others by the appearance of things. Most of the Victorian culture was centered on these things that women were expected to do or not to be seen doing. Scientists believed that men were the active ones who were supposed to use all of their energy, while women were sedentary and were supposed to conserve energy. “According to Wollsto...
sexuality. The Victorian culture had very rigid roles for women, and their reputation was almost
Women in the 19th century were not treated much better than property. A woman had absolutely no rights. She was not her own person, she was the person that everybody else expected her to be. Women did not have any power over the man in a public or private setting They were treated as property and were supposed to do as the man said. Also, women were not allowed to have jobs, and expected to keep to the house and raise the children. While today it is harder to comprehend the treatment of women in the 19th century Henrik Ibsen does an amazing job portraying this in his drama, A Doll House, with one of the main characters Nora.
In conclusion, the woman of the Victorian Era had her role in life planned out from before she was born. Although it was a dreadful role these women carried it out in a way that shows their purity of the heart and willingness to do so many of things for others and for little return. They were truly a remarkable testament to hard work and ingenuity of the time that even the men of the time could have learned from.
The Victorian era was an extremely difficult time for women in Great Britain. They were subject to gross inequalities such as, not being able to; control their own earnings, education, and marriage. As well as having a lack of equality within marriage, women had poor working conditions, and an immense unemployment rate as well. Not only was the fact that women were viewed as second-class citizens and had limited rights compared to men during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries a major problem, but women were also held to a much different standard, and expected to carry out many
The late nineteenth century play, Salomé written by Oscar Wilde depicts the Biblical story of Salomé, the stepdaughter of Herod, Tetrarch of Judaea. Herod feared Jokanaan, the prophet knowing that he was just and holy and imprisoned him in a deep cistern as he had condemned his marriage to Herodias, wife of his brother Philip. Driven by her desire to touch and kiss Jokanaan who shuns her because she is Herodias’s daughter, Salomé yields to her stepfather’s wishes and dances the dance of the seven veils in return for Jokanaan’s head on a silver platter. Seeing Salomé kiss Jokanaan’s lips, Herod orders his soldiers to kill her. Nineteenth century Victorian concepts of sexuality and virginity of the play are examined through a Biblical context.
Looking at the Victorian Era a scholar can agree with Pykett's statement. There were many societal issues in the Victorian Era. Such as child labor laws, high poverty rates, and horrible living conditions. The sexism that women had to face may have been the biggest issue. The condition women dealt with during this time were unacceptable.
Although the Romantic period was really focused on the nature and imagination the Victorian era was a different story. The Victorian Era was similar but no different to the Neoclassical period. The Victorian Era was strict and had a strict Monarchy government that had rule that were suppose to be followed at every minute of every day. Religion was also very strict the main religion was christianity. The rules were strict and harsh and had to be followed at precisely the rich minute or a person would get in trouble.
The Victorian Era is marked by Queen Victoria’s reign in England from 1837-1901 (Eras of Elegance). It is known for its attention to high morals, modesty, and proper decorum, which was inspired by the Queen and her husband, Prince Albert. Importance was placed on civic consciousness and social responsibility, including equality towards all. Science, technology and Christianity thrived. Humanitarian and religious organizations, such as the Salvation Army, reflected the Victorian concern for the poor and needy. The Church was wealthy and powerful. Only the rich could afford education, so most were left uneducated, unable to think critically. The people believed the word of the Bible and that was all that mattered. However, growing industrialization led to numerous challenges to Christianity. Education became available to all, so they had the ability to form opinions. Urbanization took effect. Problems included growing trends on materialism, nationalism, communism and higher criticism of the Bible (Eras of Elegance).