English Literature | Victorian Age: Context

📚 The Victorian Age is an important period in English literature, characterized by the close relationship between literature, art, and society.

👑 The Victorian Age, which lasted from 1837 to 1901, was marked by significant social, political, economic, and religious changes.

🌍 The Age of Empire played a crucial role during the Victorian era, with colonies and territorial politics impacting the economic and social conditions.

📜 In the Victorian Age, workers had to wait until 1867 for democratic reforms and until 1871 for their unions to be legalized.

🍞 The artificially high prices of corn, controlled by landowners, led to social unrest and famine in England and Ireland.

🔫 After a period of peace, England faced the Crimean War to combat imperialist designs in Russia.

💭 John Stuart Mill believed in individual freedom and state intervention for the pursuit of happiness.

🌍 The British Empire covered a quarter of the earth's land surface and played a significant role in politics and economics.

💎 India was considered the jewel of the British Empire due to its resources and strategic importance.

📚 During the Victorian Age, British imperialism and nationalism influenced not only politics but also literature.

⚔️ The imperialistic mentality led to real wars, such as the Boer War, where the Dutch colonies fought against British aggression.

🌍 Outside of England, there was economic prosperity and cultural growth, but within England, there was a severe economic depression and social tensions due to strong competition from new countries.

📚 The Victorian Age saw significant social, cultural, political, and economic changes.

👩‍👧‍👧 Victorian society was patriarchal, with strict moral codes and gender roles.

🔄 There were both reforms and contradictions, scientific advancements and religious unrest during this period.

🏭 The Industrial Revolution led to a transport revolution and agricultural revolution.

📚 Authors like Dickens and Stevenson highlighted social injustice, alienation, and strict moral codes of Victorian society.

💡 Dickens and Blake criticized the negative aspects of urbanization and societal development.

📚 The Victorian Age was marked by hidden social, cultural, political, and economic forces underneath a facade of appearances.

🇬🇧 England during this time aimed to showcase its power and technological advancements through events like the Great Exhibition of Industry.

✍️ Next, the video will discuss the important writers of the Victorian Age, starting with Charles Dickens.