Overview

These short notes on the Victorian era will give you a good overview of this literary and historical period.

What is the Victorian era?

• The Victorian era (ca. 1837-1901) was a golden age as Britain gained enormous wealth and a position as world leader.
• Britain underwent great developments in fields such as technology, industry, medicine, and science.
• Literature boomed, and especially the Victorian novels are considered masterpieces today.
• Britain expanded its vast empire across the globe.
• Many Victorians still clung to religion (Christianity) and conservative gender roles to make sense of the rapidly changing modern world.

Gender roles

• In the Victorian era, women were considered inferior to men by nature.
• Men and women should occupy ‘separate spheres’: The man belonged in the public sphere where he would work or take part in politics. The woman be