Social class and values in the Victorian Era

THE VICTORIAN ERAvalues and social class system

Queen Victoria

• 1838: crowned Queen when eighteen years old

• succeeded William IV

• but until birth of first daughter in 1840 Ernest August I of Hannover was king

• married prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha when 20 years old

• gave birth to nine children• arranged the marriages of children

and grandchildren ‘the grandmother of Europe’

• mourned very long for husband

→ pro-republic movement gained popularity• golden and

diamond jubilees

• lived frugal and prudish life - compensate for her uncle’s lifestyle - raised following the Kensington system

→ “Victorian” = like Victoria did

Victorian values

• not talking about sex • punishing crime severely • living by strict social rules → only for one group of society

general

• beach - special cubicles to change and put on bathing suit - separate beach for men and women

nudity

• very rude to show arms and legs• Queen Victoria collected male

nudes

nudity

• emotions and sexual feelings: in the ‘language of flowers’

• explicit erotica in personal letters and even newspapers

sexual feelings

• sex before marriage = taboo- many pregnant brides

- limited physical contact with fiancé

• prostitution flourished

sexual feelings

• supposed to keep the whole household running

• unmarried women: socializing in spare time

• worst thing: death of father or husband

→ poor women: factory work, governess or prostitution → rich women: no inheritance

women

• supposed to be raised very strictly • had to work long shifts and do

dirty jobs → Oliver Twist

• less important persons

children

Social class system

• wealthy families at court• no need to work:

inherited fortune• best education• Royal Class

Upper Class

• largest class• benefitted the most from Industrial

Revolution• Upper Middle Class and Lower Middle Class

Middle Class

• Upper Working Class = skilled labour

• Lower Working Class = unskilled labour

• hostile to other classes• affected the worst by

immigration

Working Class

• the “sunken people”• homeless, unskilled and ill

Underclass

“We are not amused”