What is victorian compromise ?

The Victorian age doesn’t mean precisely the years during which Queen Victoria reign. Victorianism means an attitude to life and society. Too many influences work on the Victorian age. It was an change of internal and external changes. The literature of the society shows the growing social consciousness. The political turmoil, the industrial revolution, the life of working class people, the political, intellectual and philosophical debate were reflected in the works of the authors. Therefore we can say that there has been an attempt on the part of the authors to bring about a compromise between the various forces of the Victorian era. 

A compromise was necessary between the rich and the poor. Life was easy for those who had many power and wealth. On the other hand, millions suffer from poverty. The Victorian society witnessed class consciousness that is conflict between rich and poor. Tennyson’s poetry adequately show the various tendencies and the compromises of the Victorian era. There was a compromise between democracy and kingship. It seems that people accepted the democracy. Victorian society witnessed the freedom of women. There was compromise between war and peace, revolution and reconciliation, The most glaring conflict that Victorian age witnessed is the conflict between science and religion. The discovery of scientific theories brought doubt in the mind of the people. They were not sure whether to have faith in science or religion. The Victorian people suffered from faith and doubt. However; of all the Victorian authors Tennyson is called the poet of Victorian compromise because in his poetry we find both the characteristics of the age. He tried to bring about a compromise between Science and religion. His poems present the conflict between science and religion, the material advancement and spiritual crisis of the age. His important poems are Locksley Hall, Ulysses, Tithonus, Oenone, In Memoriam ete. These poems express the idea of compromise between the various issues of Victorian age.

The Victorian time frame was a period of logical inconsistency, frequently alluded to as the Victorian Split the difference: On the one hand, there was the progress made possible by the Industrial Revolution, the rising wealth of the upper and middle classes, and Britain's and its empire's growing power; On the other hand, the working classes were subjected to injustice, disease, poverty, and other forms of deprivation. The Industrial Revolution brought about rapid change: As new factories and industries were established and thousands of people moved to the cities for work, towns, and cities expanded at an incredible rate. The country's progress and status as a global power were demonstrated by its new industries, inventions, and developments. The middle classes had the opportunity to improve themselves and their fortunes while the upper classes continued to prosper. Church, family, and home values were fundamental during Queen Victoria's reign (1837–1901). The father was an authoritarian figure in the family, and the mother played a submissive role. Society's intense concern for female chastity imposed the concept of the "fallen woman" on thousands of women. Generally, sexuality was suppressed, both in its public and private forms. Prudery at its extremes led to the denigration of nudity in art and the elimination of words with a sexual connotation from everyday speech. Respectability and morality were important, and society became almost pure. Buildings and monuments were erected to honor civic pride and identity. 

Altruism and noble causes were important, so libraries, washhouses, and swimming showers were likewise worked to permit individuals from the working classes to work on themselves. However, in actuality, this was extremely unlikely. In Victorian towns and cities across the country, the working class mortality rate, disease, and poverty were among the worst in the world. Overcrowded rooms and filthy slums were where people were forced to live. Young children were compelled to work, such as in textile mills, mines, and chimney sweeps, and poverty and debt were considered crimes that could only be dealt with in prison. It is abundantly clear that Victorian morals, beliefs, and values were not reflected in the world around them. Despite this, many reformers struggled to improve and alter working-class and lower-class conditions, particularly in education and health care. Ideas of racial superiority influenced patriotism in the late 19th century. Therefore, the Almighty obligated the British to impart their superior way of life to native people everywhere. This mentality became known as "Jingoism."

The term "Victorian Compromise" came to be used to describe this era because the Victorians, who lived under the strict rule of Queen Victoria, had to give up many important aspects of individuality and ways of speaking. This Victorian trait eventually showed up in Victorian literature, as was to be expected.