Victorian Period Victorian Period
1837-1901
1837-1901
Victorian Period Victorian Period
Queen Victoria took throne in 1837 (at 18) Queen Victoria took throne in 1837 (at 18)
Long reign, died in 1901 (at 82) Long reign, died in 1901 (at 82)
England became wealthiest nation England became wealthiest nation
British Empire expansion British Empire expansion
– “ “ The sun never sets on the British Empire.” The sun never sets on the British Empire.”
– Queen-empress over 200 million people living Queen-empress over 200 million people living outside Great Britain
outside Great Britain
– India, North America, South Pacific, etc. India, North America, South Pacific, etc.
Victorian Period Victorian Period
Decorum & Authority – Victorians saw Decorum & Authority – Victorians saw themselves progressing morally &
themselves progressing morally &
intellectually intellectually
Powerful middle-class obsessed with Powerful middle-class obsessed with
“gentility, decorum” =
“gentility, decorum” = prudery/Victorianism prudery/Victorianism
Censorship of writers: no mention of “sex, Censorship of writers: no mention of “sex, birth, or death”
birth, or death”
Victorian Period Victorian Period
Intellectual Progress Intellectual Progress
– Understanding of earth, its creatures & Understanding of earth, its creatures &
natural laws (geology, Darwin – theory of natural laws (geology, Darwin – theory of
evolution) evolution)
– Industrialization of England depended on and Industrialization of England depended on and supported science and technology.
supported science and technology.
– Freudian ideas begin to emerge on the Freudian ideas begin to emerge on the continent (repression is a Victorian era continent (repression is a Victorian era
concept).
concept).
Victorian Period Victorian Period
Materialism, secularism, vulgarity, and Materialism, secularism, vulgarity, and sheer waste that accompanied Victorian sheer waste that accompanied Victorian
progress led some writers to wonder if their progress led some writers to wonder if their
culture was really advancing by any culture was really advancing by any
measure.
measure.
Trust in transcendental power gave way to Trust in transcendental power gave way to uncertainty & spiritual doubt.
uncertainty & spiritual doubt.
– Late Victorian writers turned to a pessimistic Late Victorian writers turned to a pessimistic exploration of the human struggle against exploration of the human struggle against
indifferent natural forces.
indifferent natural forces.
Victorian Lit. in the Movies
Victorian Lit. in the Movies
Victorian Drama Terms Victorian Drama Terms
Comedy of Manners: a contrived plot in which the Comedy of Manners: a contrived plot in which the artificialities of a sophisticated society are exposed artificialities of a sophisticated society are exposed and satirized.
and satirized.
Tragicomedy: the main plot is serious and might lead Tragicomedy: the main plot is serious and might lead to catastrophe but ends happily for the protagonist.
to catastrophe but ends happily for the protagonist.
Satirical Comedy: a plot intended primarily to ridicule Satirical Comedy: a plot intended primarily to ridicule the foibles and vices of society.
the foibles and vices of society.
Sentimental Comedy: A plot in which the protagonist, Sentimental Comedy: A plot in which the protagonist, no matter how dissolute, reforms in the end.
no matter how dissolute, reforms in the end.
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
B. in Dublin; father physician; mother B. in Dublin; father physician; mother
writer (poetry/prominent figure in Dublin writer (poetry/prominent figure in Dublin
literary society) literary society)
Excelled in classical literature (Trinity C.) Excelled in classical literature (Trinity C.)
Scholarship to Magdalen College (Oxford) Scholarship to Magdalen College (Oxford)
Famous for brilliant conversation & Famous for brilliant conversation &
flamboyant manner of dress & behavior flamboyant manner of dress & behavior
– “ “ Dandy” figure based himself Dandy” figure based himself
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
Student of “aesthetic movement” – which Student of “aesthetic movement” – which rejected older Victorian insistence on moral rejected older Victorian insistence on moral
purpose in art purpose in art
Celebrated value of “art for art’s sake Celebrated value of “art for art’s sake
Settled in London Settled in London
Mocked Victorian notions about moral Mocked Victorian notions about moral seriousness of great art
seriousness of great art
Treated art as the “supreme reality” and Treated art as the “supreme reality” and treated life as “fiction”
treated life as “fiction”
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
The Importance of Being Earnest The Importance of Being Earnest
(produced 1895) most famous comedy (produced 1895) most famous comedy
Complicated plot turns upon fortunes and Complicated plot turns upon fortunes and misfortunes of two young upper-class
misfortunes of two young upper-class Englishmen:
Englishmen:
– John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff John Worthing and Algernon Moncrieff – Each lives a double life; creates another Each lives a double life; creates another
personality (bunburying) to escape tedious personality (bunburying) to escape tedious
social/family obligations
social/family obligations
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
Plot composed of events of the most Plot composed of events of the most improbable & trivial significance
improbable & trivial significance
Real substance of play witty dialogue Real substance of play witty dialogue
– According to Wilde, trivial things should be According to Wilde, trivial things should be
treated seriously and serious things should be treated seriously and serious things should be
treated trivially.
treated trivially.
-Title based on satirical double meaning:
-Title based on satirical double meaning:
“Ernest” is the name of fictitious character,
“Ernest” is the name of fictitious character, also designates sincere aspiration
also designates sincere aspiration
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
Making the “earnestness” of his Ernest the Making the “earnestness” of his Ernest the key to outrageous comedy, Wilde pokes
key to outrageous comedy, Wilde pokes fun at conventional seriousness
fun at conventional seriousness
Uses solemn moral language to frivolous Uses solemn moral language to frivolous and ridiculous action
and ridiculous action
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
The Importance of Being Earnest The Importance of Being Earnest uses the uses the following literary devices:
following literary devices:
– Paradox: seems contradictory but presents Paradox: seems contradictory but presents truth
truth
– Inverted logic: words/phrases turned upside Inverted logic: words/phrases turned upside down reversing our expectations
down reversing our expectations
– Pun: play on words using word or phrase that Pun: play on words using word or phrase that has two meanings
has two meanings
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
Literary Devices continued Literary Devices continued
– Epigram: brief, witty, cleverly-expressed Epigram: brief, witty, cleverly-expressed statement
statement
– Parody: humorous mocking imitation of literary Parody: humorous mocking imitation of literary work work
– Satirical Comedy: a plot intended primarily to Satirical Comedy: a plot intended primarily to ridicule the foibles and vices of society.
ridicule the foibles and vices of society.
– Irony: something you don’t expect to happen Irony: something you don’t expect to happen
– Foreshadowing: creates suspense through hints Foreshadowing: creates suspense through hints to the ending
to the ending
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
The Comedic Ladder The Comedic Ladder
– Comedy of Ideas (high comedy) Comedy of Ideas (high comedy)
Characters argue about ideas like politics, religion, Characters argue about ideas like politics, religion, sex, marriage.
sex, marriage.
They use wit, their clever language to mock their They use wit, their clever language to mock their opponent in an argument.
opponent in an argument.
This is a subtle way to satirize people and This is a subtle way to satirize people and
institutions like political parties, governments, institutions like political parties, governments,
churches, war, and marriage.
churches, war, and marriage.
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
Comedy of Manners (high comedy) Comedy of Manners (high comedy)
– The plot focuses on amorous intrigues among the The plot focuses on amorous intrigues among the upper classes.
upper classes.
– The dialogue focuses on witty language. Clever The dialogue focuses on witty language. Clever
speech, insults and “put-downs” are traded between speech, insults and “put-downs” are traded between characters.
characters.
– Society is often made up of cliques that are exclusive Society is often made up of cliques that are exclusive with certain groups as the in-crowd, other groups
with certain groups as the in-crowd, other groups (the would-be-wits, desiring to be part of the witty (the would-be-wits, desiring to be part of the witty crowd) and some (the witless) on the outside.
crowd) and some (the witless) on the outside.
Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)
Farce (can be combination of high/low) Farce (can be combination of high/low)
– The plot is full of coincidences, mistimings, The plot is full of coincidences, mistimings, mistaken identities.
mistaken identities.
– Characters are puppets of fate – they are Characters are puppets of fate – they are twins, born to the wrong class, unable to twins, born to the wrong class, unable to
marry, too poor, too rich, have loss of identity marry, too poor, too rich, have loss of identity
because of birth or fate or accident, or are because of birth or fate or accident, or are
(sometimes) twins separated, unaware of (sometimes) twins separated, unaware of
their double.
their double.
Wilde and his Play Wilde and his Play
Shortly after the play opened, The Marquis of Shortly after the play opened, The Marquis of
Queensberry left a calling card in Wilde’s mailbox with a Queensberry left a calling card in Wilde’s mailbox with a note saying: "To Oscar Wilde, posing as a Somdomite."
note saying: "To Oscar Wilde, posing as a Somdomite."
(It was an error, he meant sodomite.) Against the advice (It was an error, he meant sodomite.) Against the advice
of friends...
of friends...
Wilde decided to take legal action and sued Queensberry Wilde decided to take legal action and sued Queensberry for libel, a step that would backfire. While Queensberry for libel, a step that would backfire. While Queensberry
was acquitted, Wilde was tried and convicted of was acquitted, Wilde was tried and convicted of
homosexual practices, and subsequently sentenced to homosexual practices, and subsequently sentenced to
two years hard labor, in what was called the trial of the two years hard labor, in what was called the trial of the
century.
century.
