Life in Late Victorian Age Victorian Life l

Life in Late Victorian Age

Victorian Life l Structured class system l Assumed happiness with life station l Class movement through marriage or wealth led to shunning by peers l Loss of wealth by noble did not mean loss of title/rank in society

Behavior differences l Lower class: less restricted because ignored l Middle-class/Wealthy: higher expectations

Upper class life style l Men n Educated n 1 st born son would inherit wealth/estate n Other sons must choose military or clergy l Women n Marry n Maiden-aunt

Male education l Nursery-governess l Young boys-tutors in home l 7 years old- “public” school n Eton, Harrow, Rugby n Secured by birth, family, titles l University-Oxford or Cambridge

Oxford Education 3 -4 years l “Reading” a chosen field l n Classical languages or Greats (humanities) Attend lectures at will l Private sessions with assigned tutor l Extensive preparation/reading assignments n Papers completed for discussion and criticism n Must defend content and answer probing questions n Comprehensive exams at end of 4 years l Poor behavior resulted in being “sent down” l

Female education l Taught to supervise households l Painting china l Needlework l Music-piano, voice l Writing-poetry, fiction l French- preparation for “Grand Tour”

The Governess, originally titled The Poor Teacher, by Richard Redgrave (1844).

The Governess — "Ye too, the friendless, yet dependent, that find nor home nor lover. Sad imprisoned hearts, captive to the net of circumstance. " — Martin Tupper. Rebecca Solomon (1832 -1886).

Daily routine l 4 o’clock tea l Evening meal-8 o’clock, formal l Middle class had “high tea” which included entrée of fish, eggs, cheese, and salad l Retired to parlor after dinner

Multiple homes l “In-town”-kept apartment or “flat” during the season for balls, a time for introducing young women to society and gentlemen to look for brides l Country- large manor, invited guests for long weekends and house parties

Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills Wilde l Born Dublin, Ireland l Oct. 16, 1854 l Trinity at age 17 l Oxford, 1874 l First in Greats in fall of 1878

Wilde life l l l l Witty remarks, epigrams Sparkling conversation “Dandy” 1883, speaking tour of America Married at 30, two sons Imprisoned for 2 years (homosexuality, etc. ) After release, lived in Paris

Aesthete l Pre-Raphaelite n Shift Movement from traditional modes of writing and artistic expression in mid-Victorian period n Strongly influenced by Arthurian legends n Influential figures: Walter Pater (cult of beauty), John Ruskin, and Algernon Swinburne (creator of the roundel)

Aesthete l Languid appearance l Romantic style of clothing l Strong attraction to blue china l Carried/Sniffed a flower l Model for hero, Bunthorne, in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience

Aesthetic Movement l Beauty separate from morality l Art for art’s sake l Opposition to Victorian moralism

Famous works l The Picture of Dorian Gray l An Ideal Husband l Lady Windermere’s Fan l The Importance of Being Earnest l “The Ballad of Reading Gaol”

Wilde Epigrams l The way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it. l The only thing to do with good advice is pass it on; it is never of any use to oneself. l Education is an admirable thing, but it is as well to remember that nothing that is worth knowing can be taught. l There is no sin except stupidity.