Context The Victorian period is named after Victoria

Context The Victorian period is named after Victoria, who became queen in 1837. Next in line in the hierarchal system was the middle class whose members were successful in elevating their businesses, creating their powerful empires. The Victorian era was dictated by a hierarchal class system which consisted of the upper, middle, lower class. The middle class had a balanced lifestyle in which they were not too rich or too poor. The upper class was mainly concerned with etiquette, reputation and money. They would be addressed in a formal fashion such as Sir and Ma’am which, the upper class valued. The upper class consisted aristocrats, nobles and dukes. At the bottom of the hierarchal system were the lower class, who were viewed as burden in society, mainly by the upper class. Also they were looked down upon because they were not concerned with materialistic views but rather the health and safety of their family. The lower class experienced many hardships which consisted of their low standard of living.

Context Women in the Victorian era were mainly housewives who were in charge of raising the children and meeting the needs of the family. This could be seen as their career. Children often worked in dangerous jobs such as chimney sweeping and factories. This is because their lower class parents did not have enough income for surviving in everyday life. The industrial revolution occurred during the 1800 s under Queen Victorian's reign. Men were the main breadwinners for the family. They valued their reputation and status. The industrial revolution brought new opportunities, a consumer boom and greater prosperity for society.

So…. How did this effect English during this time?

English during the Victorian Era ‘During the nineteenth century the novel become the leading form of literature in English’ (New World Encyclopaedia) Euphemisms replaced words deemed as offensive, to avoid shocking the prudish Victorian society. A mass of novels were published in the 19 th Century to satisfy the need for romantic stories and tales about working class life. James Murray (Scottish lexicographer) wrote the 'Oxford English Dictionary'. It contains over 2 million citations and is the World's largest dictionary. Many authors began to write novels that portrayed real societal issues, commonly known as Realism. For example, Charles Dickens, ‘is well known for writing about the lives of the poor’ (New World Encyclopaedia). Late Modern English collected more words as a result of the Industrial Revolution. New technology and tools were introduced which had not previously existed, creating new words. Realism was a major concept that took off during the Victorian era. Several readers were able to connect and relate to the novels that incorporated this concept, mainly the lower class. Many people moved to urban areas during the industrial revolution to work in factories. This resulted in people from different backgrounds mixing with each other, creating a change in language – dialect levelling.

George Elliot ‘George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, one of the leading English novelists of the 19 th century’ Mary Ann Evans used a masculine pen name so that society would accept her work. Mary Ann Evans was in a relationship with a married man which was seen as controversial at the time.

Now. . . onto the novel. Here is a comic-strip summarising the plot of our chosen literary text: Silas Marner by George Eliot

Silas Marner by George Eliot was written/published in 1861. The novel focuses on social outsiders and small-town persecution. Marner is exiled from society and his fiancée leaves him after he is accused of theft and manslaughter. 19 th Century Literature reflected Victorian virtues of hard work, morals, and retribution. The novel focuses on the character Silas Marner, who is a working class handloom linen weaver.

Analysis The Language split between the Upper & Lower Classes Early 20 th Century Post Nasal 'T' & TDropping The T's in words were often dropped in the Cockney dialect. Received Pronunciation was practiced among the upper classes. It was developed in public schools (Eton, Harrow). Up until the 1950 s, it became common for university students to adapt their accents to acquire 'linguistic prestige'. E. g. matter = madder Language in the Victorian Era is similar to the language we use today. Accents were still regional, as they are today. The difference between Early Modern English and Modern English is the vocabulary. The vocabulary increased in the 19 th Century due to 2 events. 1. Industrial Revolution. (Scientific developments needed names. ) 2. Colonisation (foreign words entered the English Language. ) The upper classes began to pronounce 'H's' more clearly, as opposed to the working class who often dropped the H's in words like 'hurt' or 'hear'.

Analysis In the second paragraph of the first chapter, Eliot uses juxtaposition of the words ‘pleasant’ and ‘scornful’ which may emphasis the social inequality at the time, particularly during the industrial revolution. Throughout her work, Eliot uses a wide range of pre- and postmodifying adjectives to allow her receivers to envision what the society and people were like at the time.

So…. How has the language changed?

The Development of Language 1837 - 1901 AD 410 - 1066 Old English – Anglo-Saxon Epic poetry was the leading form of literature during this time. It included features such as having a character with superficial powers. Therefore, readers would find it difficult to relate to this. Modern English - Victorian Period VS The concept of Realism was introduced during this time which made it easier for readers (mainly lower class) relate to the novels as it would discuss real life issues. In the Anglo Saxon period, fictional works were popular whereas overtime people gravitated towards novels that they could relate to e. g. Silas Marner. This may explain why literacy level of the working class improved. English now focusing on real societal issues.

References New World Encyclopaedia (2016) Victorian Literature [online] available from http: //www. newworldencyclopedia. org/entry/Victorian_Literature [31 October 2018] Val Mc. Beath (2017) Victorian England [online] available from <https: //valmcbeath. com/victorian-era-england-18371901/#. W-m. Rrkew. Qe 0> [12 November 2018] François D'Albert Durade (1849) George Eliot [online] available from https: //www. britannica. com/biography/George-Eliot> [16 November 2018] Joshua Hargrave Sams Mann (1876) Silas Marner [online] available from https: //www. goodreads. com/photo/work/3049535 -silas-marner-the-weaver-ofraveloe? page=1&photo=1077108 [5 Novermber 2018] BBC History (2014) George Eliot [online] available from http: //www. bbc. co. uk/history/historic_figures/eliot_george. shtml [ 16 November 2018] Sandra Martinez (2015) Victorian Architecture [online] available from https: //www. thehouseshop. com/property-blog/why-do-we-fall-in-love-with-victorian-homes/4216/ [21 November 2018] Sandra Lawrence (2018) British Heritage [online] available from https: //britishheritage. com/around-town-londons-dramatic-victorian-architecture [21 November 2018]

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