Victorian Literature Study Guide Flashcards

Flashcards on Victorian Literature covering social issues, realism, gender, industrialization, morality, and key characteristics, designed to aid in exam preparation.

Tone (in Victorian Poetry Analysis)

The sorrowful, heavy emotional quality of a poem, reflecting the exhaustion and despair of the subject.

Imagery (in Victorian Poetry Analysis)

Visual or descriptive language in a poem that emphasizes the hardship, physical toll, or environment of the subject's life.

Realism

A literary approach focusing on unromantic views and realistic depictions of working-class life and human emotions in Victorian novels.

Victorian Ideals (in Novel Analysis)

Anxieties related to class mobility, duty, and family structure within the Victorian era.

Objectification of Women

The portrayal of women confined to domestic roles, with limited engagement in the outside world.

Victorian Gender Roles

The period's expectations for women to be submissive, domestic, and removed from public life, often critiqued in literature.

Sexuality (in Victorian Literature)

Suggests a critique of how women's desires were repressed or controlled during the Victorian era.

Economic Necessity vs. Morality

The tension between financial needs and moral principles, especially in the context of Victorian society.

Conflict Between Roles

Critiques the Victorian ideal of women as moral guardians, highlighting the difference between societal expectations and the realities of working women.

Industrialization

The growth of factories, cities, and mass production that created both wealth and worker exploitation.

Class Struggle

The conflict between the wealthy and the poor, often critiqued by Victorian writers.

Urbanization

The shift from rural to urban living, a significant social change during the Victorian era.

The Angel in the House

A common Victorian ideal representing purity, piety, and domesticity in women.

The Fallen Woman

A counter-image to the 'Angel in the House,' representing women who were morally compromised.

The New Woman

A late Victorian feminist ideal advocating for women's education, independence, and freedom.

Chastity and Purity

The Victorian emphasis on sexual purity, especially for women, with deviations considered moral failings.

Double Standard

The societal tendency to judge women more harshly than men for the same sexual behaviors.

Realism

Depicting ordinary life with an emphasis on social issues and human suffering.

Romanticism

Emphasis on emotion, nature, and the sublime, contrasting with the industrializing world.

Domestic Sphere

The ideal home, managed by women, focused on emotional and moral well-being.

Public Sphere

The world of work, politics, and industry, primarily associated with men during the Victorian period.