The period has two distinct phases. What successfully
changed Great Britain in the early part of Victoria's reign later caused huge
social problems in the second half. Stevenson wrote his book during this later
period when there was much criticism of, and dissatisfaction with, politics,
religion and daily life.
Research the
following: Pax Britannica, 'Penny Black', Great Exhibition of 1851, Isambard
Kingdom Brunel and the Boer War. What would you identify as the top five key
points about each of these?
The Victorian compromise
The most popular and stereotypical image of Victorian
England is the one of serious, excessively polite men and women standing in
drawing rooms discussing the important issues of the day. The playing of a
sober piano piece is the usual form of entertainment portrayed. The reality
though is very different. The Victorians were actually regular thrill seekers.
Key facts about Victorian England
Ø
The Victorians were responsible for what we now
call holidays, as working hours, particularly for the middle classes, became
more structured and the idea of leisure time arose.
Ø
They had an appetite for scandal and were avid
readers of publications that provided gossip and talk of contemporary
celebrities. The News of the World was first published in 1843.
Ø
The Victorians were avid cinema goers and
gamblers.
Ø
Thrilling, dangerous and daringly spectacular
stage shows were very popular, as were freak shows.
Ø
With colonies in the West Indies and the Raj
Victorians were soon enjoying curry dishes.
Ø
The Victorian appetite for drugs was incredible.
Laudanum, a mixture of opium and alcohol, was the drug iof choice. It was
freely available and widely consumed across all social classes. Gin was a
popular drink and consumed in pubs or ‘gin palaces’.
This lifestyle coexisted alongside a strict moral code by
which society was expected to live. This promoted church attendance, good
manners, academic achievement and professional employment, family values,
charity and the highest moral values. Obviously, this required the first kind
of behaviour being kept secret j in order to preserve the second. This is known
as 'the Victorian compromise', or the ability of middle- and upper-class
Victorian society to indulge their wilder desires but maintain their outwardly
respectable appearance, it is clear that Stevenson criticizes this idea in his
novella.
Find supporting
quotations from the beginning of Chapter 1 to support the idea of the Victorian
compromise.
Colonialism
Queen Victoria ruled over India, Australia, Canada, New
Zealand, South Africa, Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Hong Kong, Gibraltar, several
islands in the West Indies and colonies on the African coast. In 1899, English
poet Rudyard Kipling published a poem called 'The White Man's Burden', which
caused controversy. Some viewed it as a positive message persuading the western
world to support the developing world. Others, however, saw it as an arrogant
statement of superiority by western Europeans, proclaiming their right to rule
over the 'less civilized', un-Christian, 'wild' natives of the undeveloped
world.
Although Stevenson's death was some years before the poem's
publication, colonialism is an important contextual influence because the
Victorians were extremely enthusiastic in their support of colonial expansion
and proud of their achievements. They felt superior to the indigenous peoples
in their colonies and believed they were doing the work of God in 'civilizing'
them. This was despite their secretive use of drugs, excessive gambling and
drinking, use of prostitutes and exploitation of child labour. Some critics
interpret Stevenson's work as an attack on this hypocrisy.
Education
Education in Victorian England differed depending on gender
and class. The upper classes educated their children at home until the boys
could attend the elite, private schools of the time such as Eton, before
entering an elite university. Girls were also educated at home but did not
progress to university. The less wealthy had access to education too.
Approximately 200 'ragged schools' provided education free of charge for the
very poorest families in Great Britain. Trade unions became required by law to
ensure three hours of schooling a day for 'workhouse' children and the 1870
Education Act resulted in the government providing funding for certain schools.
The curriculum was based on the three 'Rs' - reading,
writing and arithmetic. Religion and Bible study featured heavily too. some
critics interpret Stevenson's portrayal of Jekyll as a warning of the dangers
of too much knowledge.
