Life in the Late Victorian Age Society in the time of Oscar Wilde

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Life in the Late Victorian AgeSociety in the
time of Oscar Wilde

• Mr. Ambrose
• English 10

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Victorian Life

• Victorian life was relatively structured.
• Social classes were well-defined.
• Presumably all individuals accepted their station
  in life and were happy within their level of
  society.
• When an individual did move outside his/her
  class, he/she was generally shunned.
• Even if you earned money, you would not
  necessarily be accepted by upper social strata.

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Victorian Society

• Victorian society was democratic, but featured
  many more restrictions than modern America.
• Lower classes actually had more freedom.
• People perceived the lower class as merely
  existing to serve higher classes.
• Society frequently ignored them.

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Young Men in the Victorian Age

• Young men in the upper classes received an
  education, but spent much of their life in
  leisure pursuits.
• First sons would inherit the family wealth, and
  had little to worry about.
• Second and subsequent sons could choose to go
  into the service (army) or to become a clergyman.
• These were respectable positions, but lower on
  the social scale.

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Young Women in the Victorian Age

• They were encouraged to marry.
• Sometimes had an inheritance, but rarely
  controlled their own finances.
• Ladies were permitted to enjoy pleasurable
  pursuits parties, balls (galas), horseback
  riding, croquet.
• They were allowed to go to the beach, but they
  would need to wear very conservative bathing
  suits

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Victorian Bathing Suits
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Young Girls in the Victorian Age

• Young girls were taught to supervise a household.
• Daily routine included consulting with
  housekeeper and cook and planning meals.
• Free time activities
• Painting china, needlework, music, literature

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Four OClock Tea Time

• A daily routine that became a tradition.
• Everyone stopped all activities for tea time.
• Analogous to a siesta in Europe, South America,
  and Central America.
• Tea was usually poured from a silver or china tea
  pot.
• Sandwiches and sweets (biscuits, tarts) were
  served.
• An important social interruption.
• Dinner was not usually served until 800 pm.

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Tea Time in America

• Do you believe a tradition like this would have
  any place or advantage in contemporary America?
• Is tea time observed anywhere on this continent?
• Do Americans have a substitute for this custom?

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Host your own Tea Time

• For extra credit, you can host your own tea time!
• Bring in a photo and a short description of your
  event.
• Good times!

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Evening Entertainment

• In the evening, people during the Victorian era
  usually watched Family Guy on their televisions.

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Evening Entertainment

• J/K
• Evenings included a formal dinner (8 PM).
• Families then might move into the Drawing Room to
  enjoy musical entertainment, provided by younger
  girls in the family.
• Gentlemen might retire to play billiards.
• On festive occasions, families might play games
  or have dances at the country estate.

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Homes in the Victorian Era

• Some members of the upper class kept an apartment
  in town (London)
• If they did not own there, they rented during the
  season so that the young girls could be
  presented to society and the young men could find
  brides.
• These apartments would be called flats, which
  is the English word for floor.

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After the Victorian Era

• For the upper classes, this style of living
  continued until WWII.
• After WWII, social structures underwent great
  changes and the balance of power among nations
  shifted.
• Despite changes in home life and industry, the
  Victorian tradition of tea time can still be
  enjoyed in homes, hotels, and parks.