Just Finished Reading: The Victorians – A Very Short Introduction by Martin Hewitt (FP: 2023) [119pp] 

 

We do seem to have a fascination with all things Victorian – I know I do! To be honest they were both a fascinating bunch of people – the good, the bad and the dangerous to know – as well as a fascinating cultural phenomenon.  

As with most studies (especially modern ones!) the opening question is exactly who the Victorians where and when exactly did the Victorian Age/Period happen. The answers to both questions – linked as they obvious are – are not as straightforward as first appears. The obvious answer is that the Victorian age exactly corresponds to the era when Queen Victoria sat on the throne of Britain and the every expanding Empire. But did people become Victorians the moment she sat down and ceased to be such the moment of her death? Clearly no. Likewise someone born around the middle of her reign (20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901) could still be called 'Victorian' well into the early 20th century. As a person example, my grandmother was born in 1911 yet had distinctly Victorian attitudes and beliefs. Was she a Victorian despite being born a decade after Victoria herself died? Its not an easy question to definitively answer.  

Looking at the Victorians is also made somewhat more difficult by the attitudes of more modern historians and media interpretations resulting in 'Victorian' acquiring a hint (or more than a hint) of the pejorative. Victorian society is 'known' for its hypocrisy – especially around sex – and its rigidity especially around class and gender roles, but its also known for its innovation, forward thinking and enterprise. Then we have the Empire... What can be said about the British Empire without offending someone, somewhere? One thing that cannot be done is ignore it. Although the Victorians did not create the Empire it was certainly the age where Imperial rule reached its greatest extent.  

There was no way that such a short introduction could do much more than approach the edges of such a huge subject and to highlight some of the more obvious themes. This it managed very well and left me intrigued to know MUCH more – which is what I've found the VSI books to be SO good at. I will most certainly be looking into this iconic civilisation in the next few years. I've already started shuffling various books out of random(ish) piles into more orgainsed(ish) stacks of Victorian themes – Crime and Empire are ever popular! - so some of them will be showing up soon(ish). I'm looking forward to it. This will give you an idea/appreciation of who the Victorians were and, as always, will give you a good grounding for further reading. Recommended.