The Victorian Period consists of the years between 1837 and 1901. This time period followed a time of chaos, rioting, and turmoil, so it doesn't come as a surprise that it was considered a time of unique peace by the citizens of Britain that lived during both time periods.
During this time period, Britain's economy greatly improved with the creation of new inventions and technologies, including the telegraph, telephone, and sewing machine. One of the biggest changes that came about during The Victorian Period was the development of sewage systems. Previous to the sewage systems, many houses would have an "earth closet," which made the entire house smell of sewage, while other houses had sewage systems that emptied into the Thames River, which was also the primary water source. This caused sickness, disease, and death. The population was said to have increased by almost five million during this time period, partially because of the development of this new sewage system that allowed for better living and drinking water conditions.
The Victorian Period is widely known for the excessive utilization of child laborers, primarily in factories. According to Kelsey Freeman's essay, English Victorian Society, which can be found by clicking here, "Children working in the factories almost always had it the worst. At first, there were no rules applying to children and work. Then, in 1819, Sir Robert Peel passed an act that applied only to the cotton mills, prohibiting the employment of children under nine, and imposing a maximum working day of twelve hours for children between the ages of nine and sixteen. The problem was, however, that the local authorities believed that a fourteen hour day was fine, declaring 'Nothing is more favorable to morals than habits of early subordination, industry, and regulation.'"
Victorian Period Literature is unique in the sense that it concentrated mostly on the differences between the high class and low class, such as the varying working conditions, living conditions, and the new industries that were developing throughout England. Along with this focus on the classes, there was a concentration on lower class writers. Because of the freedom and peace during the Victorian Period, a newfound sort of "freedom of speech" allowed for more politically-minded individuals to write and publish work. This created more power for the lower classes because their voices were finally allowed to be heard.
Written by Carolina Attaway
During this time period, Britain's economy greatly improved with the creation of new inventions and technologies, including the telegraph, telephone, and sewing machine. One of the biggest changes that came about during The Victorian Period was the development of sewage systems. Previous to the sewage systems, many houses would have an "earth closet," which made the entire house smell of sewage, while other houses had sewage systems that emptied into the Thames River, which was also the primary water source. This caused sickness, disease, and death. The population was said to have increased by almost five million during this time period, partially because of the development of this new sewage system that allowed for better living and drinking water conditions.
The Victorian Period is widely known for the excessive utilization of child laborers, primarily in factories. According to Kelsey Freeman's essay, English Victorian Society, which can be found by clicking here, "Children working in the factories almost always had it the worst. At first, there were no rules applying to children and work. Then, in 1819, Sir Robert Peel passed an act that applied only to the cotton mills, prohibiting the employment of children under nine, and imposing a maximum working day of twelve hours for children between the ages of nine and sixteen. The problem was, however, that the local authorities believed that a fourteen hour day was fine, declaring 'Nothing is more favorable to morals than habits of early subordination, industry, and regulation.'"
Victorian Period Literature is unique in the sense that it concentrated mostly on the differences between the high class and low class, such as the varying working conditions, living conditions, and the new industries that were developing throughout England. Along with this focus on the classes, there was a concentration on lower class writers. Because of the freedom and peace during the Victorian Period, a newfound sort of "freedom of speech" allowed for more politically-minded individuals to write and publish work. This created more power for the lower classes because their voices were finally allowed to be heard.
Written by Carolina Attaway