Victorian Era

1837-1901

The Victorian Era in United Kingdom began with the ruling of Queen Victoria. This long period of time is also known as the time of British Peace because of the profits earned from over seas and the great industrial developments that allowed an educated middle class society to develop. During this time, England’s population felt prosperous even though the country was at war almost every year. This period of time gave birth to much of what we know today.

Literature

Romanticism and the hardships of the time were popular themes for literature during the period. Authors of this time include Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens, and Mary Shelley.

Entertainment

Theater and art were a form of entertainment for Victorian Britain. The people of this time were very interested by music and drama, however, these weren’t the only forms of entertainment. Gambling at casinos became widely known. Prostitution, gambling, and drinking became dreadful problems that reforms were made to prevent these. This can be compared to the Progressive Movement in the states.

Innovations

It had not been long since the Industrial Revolution took place, yet this period brought with it great developments. The sewage system, designed by Joseph Bazalgette, was a huge blessing upon the British. Science was a big topic during the time and many men preferred to study the natural history of the world.

The Importance of Being Earnest Connection to Victorian Era

Oscar Wilde uses satire to criticize the Victorian Era. Two of the characters Jack and Gwendolyn are portrayals of the Victorian time period. Through acts of hypocrisy, Wilde shows his audience how vulnerable people were during this time period. For instance, he shows that Gwendolyn is blind-sighted by the name of Ernest and is oblivious to the abundance of lies that were being told to her. In addition, Jack Worthing is portrayed as a typical Victorian gentleman that was honest and trustworthy. Jack wanting to be a carefree person had to escape the country and live a double-life. As many men in the Victorian Era, Jack decided to live off of lies in order to remain his status as a cool and dangerous young man while concealing up his true feelings in and about society.