Victorian Moral Values

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer assesses the nature and characteristics of Victorian moral values. The primary values are highlighted and examined in turn. The work specifically shows, however, the extent to which such values were not equally applicable to all. The writer discusses that differing social, economic and legal conditions dictated that certain sections of Victorian society were removed from this system of values. As such, the writer maintains that it was the unequal nature of Victorian society that guided the extent to which individuals would adhere to the fundamental values of the day.

From the Paper:

"However, although in principle such moral values were intended to equally apply to the full cross-section of Victorian society, practically this was impossible due to the extreme social, economic and legal conditions in which many people were forced to exist. On the one hand there existed a sincere willingness to instil a common public morality, but this was often contradicted by the very real poverty and statutory discrimination that was engrained into certain sections of Victorian society. A clear example of this disparity is provided with the issue of women. The two primary texts of analysis used here are Henry Mayhew's observations about the plight of London's needlewomen, published in the Morning Chronicle, 1849 and John Stuart Mill's work on The Subjugation of Women, 1869. Both provide validation to the claim that in many cases; economic, social and legal limitations dictated that Victorian women were simply unable to pursue the moral societal aims of their male counterparts. Each work is discussed individually."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Collini, Stefan, ed. J.S.Mill: On Liberty and Other Writings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989.
• Marsden, Gordon. Victorian Values: Personalities and Perspectives in Nineteenth Century Society. London: Longman, 1990.
• Thompson, E.P, Yeo, Eileen. The Unknown Mayhew: Selections from the Morning Chronicle 1849-1850, London: Merlin, 1971.
• Walvin, James. Victorian Values. London: Cardinal, 1988.
• Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopaedia. (2005) Victorian Morality, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victorian_morality, Date accessed 03/04/2006.

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