Victorianism

A young Victoria of the United Kingdom is depicted at her coronation, 28th June, 1838.

Victorianism is the name given to the attitudes, art, and culture of the later two-thirds of the 19th century. This usage is strong within social history and the study of literature, less so in philosophy. Many disciplines do not use the term, but instead prefer Victorian Era, or simply "Late 19th century". Victorianism as a word is often specifically directed at Victorian morality. Victorianists refers to scholars who study Victorianism.

Brief history

The succession of William IV of the United Kingdom by his niece Victoria of the United Kingdom on 20 June, 1837 provides a convenient marker in the History of Britain for the rise of an industrialized society with a newly urbanized middle class, the interconnection of the globe with telegraph and railway, the expansion of trade, the establishment of the gold standard and other programs meant to make orderly and regular the path of commerce, manufacturing and economic growth. As a movement, the term is often synonymous with changes made to society directed at dealing with the effects of trade, industrialism, and urbanization, while maintaining a strongly stratified social and political order. Queen Victoria's reign ended with her death in 1901, signifying the end of the era.