children, women and classes in Victorian Times

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5,6

Word of the day: Grandiose

adjective gran-dee-OHSS

Grandiose is most often used disapprovingly to describe something that seems impressive or is intended to be impressive, but is either not possible or practical.

// The committee eventually scaled back the most outlandish parts of its plans for the festival, including a grandiose scheme to bring in live peacocks for the event.

Victorian Times 

Role of women and children

If you think about an upper class woman in the Victorian era, what comes to mind first?

Position of women in Victorian Times

*Poor women had to work

*Bad living conditions

* no rights to vote, husband was the boss

Difference between the classes:

*Rich women were supposed to be "the Angel of the House"

*Well-furnished houses & enough food, servants

* no rights to vote, husband decided on everything

Do you think wearing a corset had consequences?

1. Yes
2. No

Women were often laced so tightly their breathing was restricted leading to faintness. Compressing the abdominal organs could cause poor digestion and over time the back muscles could atrophy. In fact, long term tight lacing led to the rib cage becoming deformed.

What about children?

What was the position of children during the Victorian Era?

In the different classes?

Girls/boys

Health-wise?

Rich children

raised by a nanny & spoiled 

hardly any contact with their parents

not allowed to eat at the same table as their parents

educated

needed to marry a person from the same class

Different outlooks on life in Victorian Times

19th century society

Optimism, for the middle & upper classes

Pessimism for the lower classes & poor people

Industrial + economic growth Economic recession: surplus of labour

- Reform bills to improve situation labourers (child labour)

Max. 48 hours if 9 years old

Chimney sweepers

Right to vote for women & lower classes

World Power: the British Empire

Queen of Britain

Empress of India

Imperialism: GB doubled its size

The Sun never sets on the British Empire!

Anglican Church, very religious + high morals Religious doubts, Darwin "Origin of Species", no longer only Adam and Eve story, but evolutionary ideas

Women's + children's rights

Emancipation: women's rights

in GB called Sufragettes: rights & votes for women 

1918 :allowed to vote if 30 years old

1928: vote at 21 years old

Rights to vote for women & lower classes

- Bad living conditions lower classes/poor

- Reform bills to improve situation labourers (child labour)

Max. 48 hours if 9 years old

Bit of education...

Bad health circumstances

Sufragettes: women's & votes

1918 :allowed to vote if 30 years old

1928: 21 years old

Right to vote for women & lower classes

Types of jobs for poor women

servants

nannies

governesses

prostitutes

Prudishness

Strong difference in gender roles

Clothing prescriptions

Extra marital affairs 

Prostitution (since not a lot of men had to work)

Who is this person? Why does she wear black?

Female writers in the 19th century 

The Brontë sisters:

Charlotte, Emily and Anne

Upper middle class

A quick guide to the Brontë sisters 

What type of girls were these Brontë sisters:

Little contact/shy, started writing stories

Did not opt for marriage, governesses

Wrote under a male pseudonym (also did not want to become famous)

Extra study material

If you want to know more about living conditions of the lower classes watch the following clip.

Remember to pick a book today!

Start working on your project or Units: vR2Bf9