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Victorian Era - Free Essay Examples and Topic Ideas

The Victorian Era begins with the arrival of Queen Victoria in 1837 and ends with the death of the queen in the early 20th century in 1901. England used to be an imperial force then and it was almost one-quarter of the earth’s land used to be part of the British Empire.

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  1. 1
    The Relationship between Madness and Gender in Victorian Literature
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    Wilkie Collins’s The Woman in White shows the relationship between madness and gender in the female characters of Anne Catherick and Laura Fairlie. However, although there was a larger number of female patients in the asylum, Anne Catherick and Laura Fairlie are unconventional choices for the Victorian ‘madwoman’, as they appear to conform to the Victorian ‘angel of the house’ ideal. Lyn Pykell argues that “the classic nineteenth-century madwoman is the deviant, energetic woman who defies familial and social control.…
    Victorian Era
  2. 2
    Victorian Literature: Human Sexual Repression and Sexualized Vampires in Bram Stoker’s Dracula
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    Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula was published in 1897 and it still stands as his greatest masterpiece. The novel could not find an immediate success but it has inspired several films and other literary pieces of work. Stoker’s intention was to explain the anxieties of his time such as the repercussions and consequences of abandoning traditional beliefs, scientific progress and female sexuality. We must be quite sure that at that time Stoker could not imagine his words associated with sex, but…
    Victorian Era
  3. 3
    Things and Masculinities in H. Rider Haggard’s King Solomon’s Mines
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    From the very beginning, H. Rider Haggard’s novel King Solomon’s Mines is presented as an essentially masculine novel. The story follows and depicts those aspects of the world that are of interest mostly and almost exclusively to men, according to Victorian beliefs. The representation of women is very limited and confined to a male point of view. The role of the feminine in this novel consists of maintaining the male reader interested in the story by fulfilling male fantasies and…
    Victorian Era
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  4. 4
    Psychological Analysis Of Queen Victoria’s Motherhood Problems
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    Queen Victoria, also called Alexandrina Victoria (1819-1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and self-adopted Empress of India. She inherited the reign from her father, Prince Edward, after her three older brothers all died at a relatively young age, 18. From then on, she ruled the great country for sixty years along with her husband, Prince Albert. However, even though she did an excellent job at controlling her own government for a long period of…
    Victorian Era
  5. 5
    Victorian Literature: Masculinity and The Role of Women
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    King Solomon’s Mines is a novel by the English Victorian writer Henry Rider Haggard which was published in 1885. The novel, which became a best seller in a short period of time, tells the story of a group of adventurous men leaded by Allan Quatermain on their quest to find Curtis’ brother, who had gone on an expedition in search of King Solomon’s mines. Many themes have been subject of study within King Solomon’s Mines pages, for example, the good…
    Victorian Era
  6. 6
    Victorian Literature: The Corruption of Christianity in Dracula
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    In the 19th century, Christianity suffered a decline of faith. Scientific discoveries and the publication of rational studies of the Bible as a historical book and not as God’s word, like The life of Jesus (1808-74) from David Strauss, contributed to the decrease of the Christian belief. Moreover, the publication of theories like On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural selection (1859) from Charles Darwin enforced the idea that God was not the Creator. On the other side,…
    Victorian Era
  7. 7
    Satire Of The Victorian Era by Oscar Wilde
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    Oscar Wilde, author, and play-writer of The Importance of Being Earnest; a story of character Jack and Algernon that live a double life to live to standards while also trying to enjoy the free life away from the subjective culture. While trying to live these double lives they both fall into trouble with the women they love. The play taunts the life of the people during the Victorian era. Wilde jabs at the culture and practices, ideals, gender roles, marriage,…
    Victorian Era
  8. 8
    Paranormal Activity Beliefs in the Victorian Era
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    Ghosts, paranormal activity, and superstitions are all phenomena that are interesting to the human mind. These phenomena have an interesting origin dating all the way back to the Victorian Era. While some may say the paranormal activity is just a way to distract the human brain from reality; ghosts, paranormal activity, and superstitions greatly affected people, especially in the Victorian Era. From changing the way how people worshipped, to more trivial aspects like entertainment by floating objects, these topics had…
    BeliefVictorian Era
  9. 9
    Victorian Literature: Social Class in Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
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    Great Expectations by Charles Dickens was published in 1860, and is widely regarded as examplary for the Victorian Era, as the novel seems to reflect upon the great social changes which occured during that time in Britain. The Victorian Era saw great transformations for the society, not only in terms of the emergence of the idea of the 'New Woman' and thus for the questioning of the patriarchy, but also regarding the realisation of the slow decline of the British…
    Victorian Era
  10. 10
    A Critical Analysis of the poem “On the Threshold” by Amy Levy
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    Amy Levy, a British poetess of Victorian era is best remembered for her feminist positions and her homosexual romances. She wrote the poem “On the Threshold” highlighting the aspects of homosexuality. “Homosexuality is a sexual desire or behavior directed toward a person of one’s own sex” (Dictionary.com). Ledger (n.d) regarded Amy Levy as a “New Woman poet with Sapphic interests”. “Levy’s poetry is distinguished by a variety of forms and themes, including dramatic monologue and intense confessional lyrics, which depict…
    Victorian Era
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  11. 11
    Women: A Threat To Society in H. Ride Haggard’s The king Solomon’s Mines
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    H. Rider Haggard’s novel King Solomon’s Mines (1855) is a popular novel that sometimes has been read as an adventure story in which a white man, Quatermain, travels into unknown and dangerous territory and fight against dangerous natives. However, Zachary David Cady offers an alternative reading and point of view by claiming that “the novel was intended for an adolescent audience and contain numerous direct representations of Victorian masculinity”. The novel makes it clear from the beginning: It is dedicated…
    Victorian Era
  12. 12
    Reflection Of Hard Times Novel
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    “Hard Times”, as a novel of 21 century “Hard Times”, is a work of Victorian Literature, written by Charles Dickens. The whole novel analyses the society at the time, from its educational aspects to the whole dehumanization of people-with their struggles and failures throughout life. The book openly criticises the fault of industrialization where turning people into “machines”, who do not have any ability to feel compassion towards anyone, by first giving a fault of educational system and later the…
    Victorian Era
  13. 13
    An Image of Victorian Women in Alexander Pope’s and Anne Ingram’s Epistles
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    Debating Victorian Women: Epistle to a Lady and Epistle to Mr. Pope Between the works, Epistle to a Lady II and Epistle to Mr. Pope, the bone of contention is the character of women. Pope accuses women of amorous passion, fickle and temperamental dispositions, vanity, irrationality and ambition for power. This school of thought corresponds to the prevalent spirit of the seventeenth century Age of the Enlightenment whose emphases are Reason and Humanism. Ingram, in her Epistle to Mr. Pope,…
    Victorian Era
  14. 14
    Satirical and Underlaying Elements of Victorian Society in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”
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    According to Auerbach, Alice is a challenge to Victorian norm, but at the same time she is also a representation of the dichotomy that used to mark the idea of women: she calls her an “amalgamation of the fallen woman with the unfallen child” . Moving to sexuality, and for instance male sexual behaviour, Donald Rackin carries out an analysis of a possible satirical self-portrait of the author within the book. What Rackin indicates as a self-portrait of the author,…
    Victorian Era
  15. 15
    A Study in Scarlet’s depiction of the Victorian Era
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    A Study In Scarlet Essay Often, the success of a piece of literature is not only dependent on that work’s entertainment value, but also the relatability of it to it’s core demographic. In A Study In Scarlet, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle used the issues of the Victorian era to make his novel applicable and appealing to the people of his time period. Doyle, through the implication of the Mormon religion, the development of Sherlock’s character and the display of moralities…
    Victorian Era
  16. 16
    The Victorian Era in A Curse for a Nation by EB Browning
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    The Victorian Age was a period of time from 1837 to 1901. This era was called Victorian due to Queen Victoria, since it describes the events that happened during her reign; "A Curse for a Nation" by Elizabeth Barret Browning clearly portrays how this Victorian society behaved through the use of words. In this poem, the author first states the coming of an angel to ask her to write a curse toward America. However, she mentions that she cannot curse…
    AngelsBarrettVictorian Era
  17. 17
    Victorians and Death: A Period of Morbid Curiosity
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    Paper Type:2500 Word Essay Examples
    When reading about the Victorian era, there are many significant events, scientific discoveries and social morality that shaped the period to what know of today. One of the key themes that is associated with the Victorians is death. Death was everywhere, a common event in the typical household that completely shaped how they lived. It was no longer a private affair but a public event. But why did the Victorians obsess with the notion of death? Why was it so…
    CuriosityDeathPeriodPhotographyVictorian Era
  18. 18
    The exotic animals
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    Paper Type:750 Word Essay Examples
    The plot of "The Speckled Band" was designed in a particular format to appeal to a Victorian audience. Throughout the story Doyle builds up tension. From the distraught Miss Roylott, through to the night spent in the Roylott house, both danger and suspense are introduced. The Victorians would have liked this - it was an accomplishment of the new detective fiction genre: using evil and horror to engage and sustain the readers interest. The exotic animals from around the house…
    AnimalsMurderVictorian Era
  19. 19
    Dickens’ Portrayal of 19th Century London Society in “Oliver Twist”
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    Charles Dickens, one of the most renowned novelists in the history of English literature, created a timeless masterpiece in "Oliver Twist." This novel is not only a captivating narrative but also a profound social commentary that sheds light on the complexities of Victorian England in the 19th century. Dickens employs a rich tapestry of language, vivid characters, and a meticulously crafted setting to provide readers with a profound understanding of 19th-century London society. The Dickensian Themes: Poverty, Desperation, and Triumph…
    LanguageLondonSocietyVictorian Era
  20. 20
    The Theme of Industrialization in Carlyle and Dickens
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    Paper Type:2000 Word Essay Examples
    The invention of the steam engine and the development of the railways brought England a profound change by proliferating the Industrial Revolution, which created deep economic and social changes by the beginning of the Victorian age. "Hundreds of thousands of workers had migrated to industrial towns, where they lived in horribly crowded, unsanitary housing and worked very long hours -fourteen a day or even more- at very low wages. Employers often preferred to hire women and children, who worked for…
    PovertyVictorian Era
  21. 21
    The Hounds of the Baskervilles
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    Paper Type:1000 Word Essay Examples
    Women in the Victorian Era Women in the Victorian Era were secondary citizens in comparison to men. Even those of higher classes were still treated as below in status and equality in relation to men. 'The Hound of Baskervilles' contains female characters of both upper and lower class. Women were expected to always be well-dressed in the Victorian age. Being a woman of lower class was tough however the book portrays all women to be specific about their appearances no…
    MarriageVictorian Era
  22. 22
    Conan-Doyle’s Mystery Short Story The Speckled Band
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    Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle's story, The Speckled Band is based in nineteenth century Victorian England. This time period was one of confidence, as Britain became a major power in Europe and indeed the world. One of the numerous popular genres of literature that the Victorians warmed to during this time of confidence was Gothic tales (Mrs. Radcliffe's Udolpho for instance) which tended to follow a fairly distinct pattern. Firstly they were based upon the use of the macabre, which included frightening screams…
    Victorian Era
  23. 23
    How Would You Define the Working Class in Nineteenth Century Britain?
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    Paper Type:1800 Word Essay Examples
    Many historians have debated the definition of the term 'working class'. It is argued that the term distinguishes social groups in society according to their lifestyles in which their beliefs, values and experiences are different to that of the higher classes. 'The emergence of a mass society, in which classes stood out by their clothing, diet, modes of transport, living conditions, and leisure pursuits, was one important feature'1. However many historians agree that the emergence of the 'working-class' was different…
    BritainCapitalismSocietyVictorian Era
  24. 24
    Child Rearing in the Victorian Era
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    Paper Type:1200 Word Essay Examples
    This paper discusses child rearing practices in the Victorian Era and feels that the strictness and the demonstration of respect was good, but they lacked love and feeling in the realm of child rearing.Child Rearing In Victorian Times Childhood barely existed for most British children at the end of the eighteenth century, since they began a lifetime of hard labor as soon as they were capable of simple tasks. By contrast, the fortunate children of the wealthy generally were spoiled…
    ChildChildhoodVictorian Era
  25. 25
    Supernaturalism in Works of Oscar Wilde and R. L. Stevenson
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    Introduction This paper aims to check how the themes of social and cultural issues of the period are portrayed through the aspect of supernaturalism in the selected works of Oscar Wilde and R. L. Stevenson. The term supernaturalism is closely related to Gothic literature. It stands as the most common theme among the works of this genre. The Collins Dictionary defines it as 'a supernatural agency, the effects of which are felt to be apparent in this world' (Collins English…
    NaturalismVictorian Era
  26. 26
    The later stages of the Victorian Era in England
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    Paper Type:1800 Word Essay Examples
    The later stages of the Victorian Era in England were times of great change. There was a shift from the big estates to a more modern urban economy. Work, such as industry and mining were two areas that saw major development. These two industries brought an opportunity for individuals to acquire new wealth and seek new job opportunities. Even with these new opportunities present for the taking, the Victorian era was not one of equality and more so when it…
    Social InequalityVictorian Era
  27. 27
    Literature written in the late Victorian and Edwardian era
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    Literature written in the late Victorian and Edwardian era often reflected on what was happening at the time, also having links to the fin de si?cle by using impressionism, symbolism and expressionism, the extract is set out in chronological order starting with the character telling you in a first person narrative about their experience. "There are few of us·wakened before dawn" going on to describe the setting and imagery by using language and symbols, with a gothic influence throughout. Although…
    ArtVictorian Era
  28. 28
    Margaret Atwood’s Alias Grace
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    Paper Type:850 Word Essay Examples
    Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace is a novel based on Grace Marks; a servant convicted yet pardoned of murdering her employer. Atwood critiques the society that produces patriarchy, captivating the social issue of women being subordinate to men. Consequently, Atwood blames the oppressive Victorian Era that contains women within stagnant social positions. Within the novel, the upper class maintain the hierarchy of gender and class, preserving these Victorian traditions. Throughout the novel, Atwood represents the prominent theme of gender disparity, that…
    GenderSocial IssuesVictorian Era
  29. 29
    Dickens’ Portrayal of Scrooge in Stave 1 with Scrooge in Stave 5
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    Comment on the effects of Dickens' choice of language and form. Explain and discuss how these two sides of Scrooge reflect the society of the time and the treatment of the poor. In the book 'A Christmas Carol', by Charles Dickens, there is a stark contrast between Scrooge, the main character, in Stave 1 to the Scrooge he becomes in Stave 5. However, this change is not the only one, there is also a change in how Dickens uses his…
    Character TraitsChristmasCultureHistoryPeriodSociety
  30. 30
    Jane Eyre: An Unconventional Heroine
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    Paper Type:1800 Word Essay Examples
    'Ms. Eyre is one of those heroines who refuse to blend into the traditional female position of subservience and who stand up for her beliefs' Explore how the female position is presented. Jane Eyre was written by Charlotte Bronte and was first published in 1847 in the Victorian era. During this period, women were expected to remain at home and their time was to be spent taking care of household duties and their children. Females were regarded as properties rather…
    HeroinVictorian Era
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  31. 31
    The Use of Heroes and Character Types in Jane Eyre
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    OUTLINE Introduction Thesis Statement In the novel, Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë uses classic Victorian heroes and characters to represent the stages of growth that Jane must go through in order to become a mature Victorian heroine. Quotes, Examples and Descriptions of the Heroes and Character Types Brontë used in Jane Eyre Victorian Heroine Definition and Context Jane Eyre Bronte’s Social Commentary on the Victorian Hero Tragic Hero Definition and Context Rochester Bronte’s Social Commentary on the Tragic Hero The Ant-Hero…
    HeroSocial Commentary ExamplesVictorian Era
  32. 32
    Femme Fatale in Victorian Literature
    Words • 2845
    Pages • 11

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    INTRODUCTION Victorian Era was the big step in the overall cultural development of England. Many, presently famous novels and poems came to light during this period. Mainly writers, who (in their style of writing) openly manifested their opposition to the strict moral law which was significant those days. Universal etiquette of behavior, wealth and the family name in the social hierarchy ladder were very important to be perceived as aristocracy. Class division within the society was clearly marked. The pattern…
    Victorian Era
  33. 33
    “The Importance of Being Ernest “by Oscar Wilde
    Words • 1823
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    Paper Type:1800 Word Essay Examples
    Oscar Wilde is remembered today for his use of epigrams and his plays. Wilde wrote ‘The Importance of Being Ernest’ in which many people argue that it appears Wilde subverts the typical Victorian gender role. Gender roles are cultural and personal, they determine how males and females should think, speak, dress, and interact within the context of society. Masculinity and Femininity refer to the dominant sex role pattern in the vast majority of both traditional and modern societies: that of…
    GenderVictorian Era
  34. 34
    How Stevenson Uses Descriptions of Scenery?
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    The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson was first published in 1886. The themes involved in Stevenson’s novella, good and evil, the primal, animal side of human nature, morality, shocked its strict, righteous Victorian audience. The Victorian society was intent on repressing thought and behaviour that could be considered animal. At least, this was the culture on the surface; taking a look into the underground society shows the immediate balancing side to the strict…
    HumanNatural SceneryPhilosophyVictorian Era
  35. 35
    Victorian Period – a Time of Change (1837 -1901)
    Words • 1844
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    Paper Type:1800 Word Essay Examples
    "All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their own peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their own peril."--by Oscar Wilde, Preface, "The Picture of Dorian Gray" The Victorian Period revolves around the political career of Queen Victoria. She was crowned in 1837 and died in 1901 (which put a definite end to her political career). A great deal of change took place during this period--brought about because…
    ChangePeriodTimeVictorian EraVictorian Novel
  36. 36
    The Importance of Being Earnest: A tale of Victorian mockery
    Words • 1335
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    Paper Type:1300 Word Essay Examples
    "Every word and every part of an individual was expected to be in accordance with the rigid ethical and habits rules, and each, even the smallest discrepancy from the rule was considered an offense which made the delinquent openly disgraced. Even literature and art had its cannons which were to be appreciated" (Mathews, 2009). In Oscar Wilde's satirical funny, The Value of Being Earnest, Victorian hypocrisy is presented within the lines of the play as it unfolds a story about…
    Social Commentary ExamplesVictorian Era
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