What is the Victorianism?

Victorianism is a term which is often used with the reference to the reign of queen Victoria. The term also extended beyond the Queen’s reign (1837-1901) to include William IV reign from 1830. Historians distinguish early, middle and late Victorian England. Under queen Victoria Britain transformed by industrial revolution, became the world’s leading imperial power and is the most interesting country. And the authors of the age tried to focus the rapidly changing age the term of victorian literature. 

The authors of the age tried to focus the characteristic of the Victorian age in their works. Tennyson in his work represents the spirit of faith and doubt. Arnold laments the loss of value. In fact, the moral history of the age is reflected by the authors of the age. In other words, social, political and religious ideas of the Victorian age are adequately expressed in the literature of the Victorian era. Victorianism is a term which refers to the tendencies of Victorian era. In other words, Victorians are called Victorian. They are concerned with the issues of their times and not with the issues of other ages. 

The Victorian thinkers are called the sages of Victorian age. The influence of the Victorian thinkers are great on Victorian literature. Their works are an intellectual criticism of the age. Therefore the Victorian thinkers such as Thomas Carloile, John Stuart Mill, Newman, Charles Darwin and Arnold require some attention. Arnold believed poetry would replace religion. He considers poetry as a criticism of life. Like Arnold the other thinkers of the Victorian age tried to focus the spiritual crisis and erosion of values of the Victorian age. 

At the end of 18th century with the progress of science people become sceptic. A conflict between science and religion appeared. New political and philosophic theories were published. Church lost its monopoly. Rapid changes took place both internally and externally. Newman started the Oxford movement which renewed the idea of traditional Christianity. This thinkers were the first to observe and understand the effects of industrial capitalism, scientific theories on social and personal life. Therefore, in their works and in art and literature they tried to show the significant currents of English national culture.