Victorian Age
Give a brief account of the
Social, Political, economic and relipus tendencies of the Victorian Age.
Or
Discuss the Social condition and
lifestyle of the Victorian Period.
Answer:-
Queen Victorian came to the
throne of England in 1837 and she gave her name to the period that lasted till
her death in 1901. But the new era actually began with the introduction of
first Reform Bill in 1832. This age is popularly known as “The workshop of the
world.” The Victorian Age is one of the most remarkable periods in the history
of England. It was an era of material affluence, political consciousness,
democratic reforms, industrial and mechanical progress scientific advancement,
social unrest, educational expansion, and religious uncertainty.
The
Victorian age was essentially a period of peace and prosperity of England. The
few colonial wars that broke out during this period exercised little adverse
effect on the national life. Peace brought material advancement and industrial
Revolution transformed the agricultural of England to an Industrial. This
advancement created social division and economic distress among the masses. The
Industrial Revolution while creating the privileged class of capitalists and
Mill owners also brought in its wake the semi-starved and ill clad class of
laborers and factory workers who were thoroughly dissatisfied with their
miserable fortune.
The
woeful and deplorable condition of laborers, miners, prisoners soon caught the
eyes of social reformers and stage was prepared for the down trodden and underdogs
of the society to raise their voice. Victorian era therefore witnesses various
reforms and that is why it is an age of humanitarian considerations and social
uplitment of the masses. In the works of Charles Dickens, Mr. Gaskell, Carlye,
John Ruskin, we notice the zeal of the literary artists to bring about reforms
in social and economic life of the country.
The
Victorian Age witnessed a conflict between aristocracy on the one hand and
democracy and socialism on the other. In this period England witnessed
expansion in the field of education. The passing of the Education Act was a
landmark in the history of education in the country. A large number of readers
prepared to welcome the outpouring of novelists, poets and social reformers.
The press also came into its own and became a potent force in awakening
political consciousness among the people of this age. In spite of the
advancement of science and scientific discoveries the general tenor of life was
still governend by religious and moral considerations. There was a marked
conflict between religion and science, between moralists and scientists and traditional
and modern way of life. We can conclude that the Victorian period is a landmark
of British history and literature. This age laid the foundation of English
prose. The note of individuality was the hall mark of Victorian literature. In
this age, the authors extended sensibility of the Romantic Period was replaced
by humanity, reality and logical discussion of the subject matter.
2.
What are the prominent literary
tendencies of the Victorian age
Or
Write about the basic
characteristics about Victorian Age.
Or
Give a short note about
Victorian author and their creations.
Answer:-
Victorian Age is mostly known as
“The workshop of the World” in progress in creative world etc. This progress in
creative world etc. This period witnessed the flowing of poetry and it also
laid the foundation of English prose. The note of individuality was the
hallmark of Victorian literature. The literary figures of Victorian period were
marked with originally in outlook, character and style. In Macaulay, there was
much of the energy and enterprise of self mode man. Tennyson loved to sing
about independence. In Dickens books there are perhaps more original than in
those of another novelist in the world. The Bronte sisters pursued their lonely
path in life with pride and endurance. The Victorian Age was essentially the
age of prose and novels. According to W.J. Long, “Through the age produced many
poets and two who desercced to rank among the greatest but this is emphatically
an age of prose and novel.”
The
novel in this age occupies a place which drama held in the days of Elizabeth
and never before in any age novel appeared in such members and with such
perfection as in this period. Victorian literature in its varied aspects was
marked by a deep moral note. Tennyson, Browning, Carlyle, Ruskin we were
primarily interested to countryman,. Behind the fun and Sentiment of Dickens,
the social miniatures of Thackeray. The psycho logical study of George Eliot
lay hidden a definite moral purpose to sweep away the arrors and to bring out
vividly the underlying truth of human life.
The
literature of this period was co-related to the social and political life of
the age. Perhaps for this reason the authors had given importance to realism
rather than on romance. Literature became an instrument of social reform and it
became an instrument of social reform and it became weapon of revolt against
the materialistic tendeneeys of this age. The literature of this period inspite
of its focus on rationality could not spring of romanticism. The spirit of
romanticism continued to influence the inner most consciousness of the age. It affected
the works of Tennyson, Browning and Arnold. A note of Pessimisms, doubt and
despair runs through Victorian literature and it is noticed especially in the
poetry of Tennyson and Arnold. In the same way a mark of idealism and optimism
is also struck by poets like Ruskin. Browings, “Rabbi Ben Ezra” brings out the courageous
optimism of the age. The literature is considerably modified by the impact of
science in this period. It is the scientific spirit which influenced the authors
to go for a social progress and this element elevated the Victorian literature
to a great height.
A
note of Patriotism also runs through the Victorian literature. Tennyson,
Dickens and many other minor poets were inspired by a national pride and they
reflected a sense of greatness in their countries susperiousity over other
nations. Tennyson’s “The charge of the Light Brigade” is a finest example of
this patriotism.
The
Victorian poets and novelist laid emphasis on men and women and imported to them
the same warmth and glow which the Romantic Poets had given to nature. The
Victorian age extended to the complexities of human life, the imaginary and
humanity to nature and made the art form more humanistic.