Victorian morality

During the Victorian Era, “survival of the fittest” was a common figure of speech. Based on Darwin’s theory of evolution, it was used to describe the survival pattern of humans during this time period. This term was used to describe the survival of the middle and upper class during the Victorian era while the lower class lived in extreme poverty causing many to die. In this description, the “fittest” humans would appear to be those within the upper class. In reality, however, the “fittest”…

behaviour, as during this period emotions were accustomed by the influence of Society and power, despite both men and women sharing the same emotions (Hansen, Norberg 441). The Victorian period can be particularly associated with the roles and characteristics of men and women becoming more discrete which resulted in the Victorians belief of “separate spheres” (1607). This gave rise to the idea that it was more appropriate for women to stay in the home or private sphere where they were expected…

day for women and children. The highest job a woman could be was a teacher but the feminist movements of this time helped women come out behind closed doors. As time passed, women were given the equal status as men. Also, family structure in the Victorian period was very valuable every day. Having a large family and six children was very common in the 1800s and important to the working life. The father of the family would work long hours and be the support barrier for the family. The mother…

The Gilded Age, an evolutionary time in the late 19th century, which altered the common farmer’s life, from living in the rural into an industrial worker living in the city. The Gilded Age created the transcontinental railroad, racial tension, end of freely roaming Native Americans, tedious labor, unemployment, substantial immigration, an extreme government and fraudulent politics. With all these crucial events occurring from the early 1870s to the early 1900s, I believe the most crucial years…

apocryphal sense of elation within their money. While, the content, jovial lower class prosper through their affectionate relationships they have with family and friends. In the novel, Great Expectations, the author Charles Dickens comments about Victorian London by showing how both personal and historical events affect the traits of the characters and the plot, the differences of conduct…

Ally Condie's Matched is a novel with the focus on Cassia Reyes, a young girl who lives in a futuristic world governed by a faction entitled The Society. The plot opens with seventeen-year-olds from across the nation, including the protagonist Cassia, traveling to City hall in order to be matched. Matching is a process in which individuals are paired with their future spouse based on predictions made by the Society to ensure a perfect marriage and healthy offspring. However, Cassia discovers…

adultery. The women of Sarah’s time were focused on social equality, women’s rights and changing their roles in society. Sarah displayed something different. The book The End of the Affair, was written during the Modern Era, but throughout we see how Victorian ideas are incorporated and we see how Sarah displays the image of the “fallen woman”…

knew that he had been lying all along, until when he discovered that his father went by the same name. Wilde explains how double standard Earnst’s life and also shows how it is written out by his expectations and goals. The name ‘Earnest’ in the Victorian era of England, is known is very well known and a person bearing such a name was considered to be outstanding, and well mannered. From a psychological point of view, Earnest seeks to survive. As such a person who needs to survive, he…

Furthermore, Oscar Wilde projects himself in addition to the Id, Ego, and Superego through Dorian Gray, based on how Wilde lived a “Double Life”(Schmidt 3). Dorian was thought to be pure and innocent when really his inner self reflected the complete opposite. Dorian “desperately wanted to find his true identity”(Schmidt 4) and longed to be known for more than just his appearance. Dorian’s desperation resulted in an unhealthy intrigue with Henry Wotton. Henry’s fascination with Dorian resulted…

linked to the composer’s context, purpose and audience. Whilst both texts convey love’s ability to impact on one’s identity and present notions of a woman in love, as a result of their starkly contrasting contexts, purposes and audiences; Browning’s Victorian England context portrayed by her significant values for sincerity and optimism throughout her deeply intimate poetry to ….. and Fitzgerald’s post-war 1920s America portrayed through his cynical critique of the hedonistic society and…