Throughout English history, the rule of Queen Victoria was discerned as the most prolific era. The end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century was identified with affluence and development of the industrial era. This innately led to the rapid transformation of both the country and class society (No Author, 2011). However the 19th century wasn’t just characterized by its expanding knowledge and an increase in heathcare, it was filled with a variety of Victorian analysts who began to fear the threat of degeneration. The word itself represented the deterioration of the morals of civilized men (Burdett, 2016). H. G. Wells’ novel The Time Machine is a noteworthy work of science fiction that explored the themes of human degradation and inequality, subjects that were prominent during the Victorian Era in relation to Darwin’s theory of evolution. The novel focuses on the undiscovered multifariousness of man, specifically where the similarities between man and animal come to an end (Burdett, 2016).
The novel explorers these themes through the use of
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As suggested in the novel, the distinction lies between the effeminized Eloi and powerful Morlocks. The Eloi are examples that suggest a degenerated community cannot be processed beyond infancy. While the Morlock community suggests that humanity is devolving. H. G. Wells suggests to the reader that recognizing the wickedness of the Morlocks is to understand that some morals will transcend time and that wickedness thrives when the image of that person or creature remains idle. This is shown when the Eloi rebuffed the idea to fight back against the obvious dangers that plagued them. This suggests that human compassion will still exist, and be capable of loving and caring even when society has degenerated throughout time. H. G. Wells also suggests that man can either evolve as time goes by or he can stand idle and devolve. (Plascenia,
The world is advancing so rapidly today, it seems that it will never stop growing in knowledge and complexity. In the novel “The Time Machine” by H.G. Wells, The Time Traveler, as Wells calls him, travels hundreds of thousands of years into the future through time. He arrives at a world that, at first glimpse, is peaceful and clear of any worries. As The Time Traveler explores the world, he discovers that the human race has evolved into 2 distinct forms. Although the world appeared to be the Garden of Eden, it was, in reality, the Garden of Evil. Wells uses three aspects of the futuristic world to illustrate this: the setting, the Eloi, and the Murlocks.
A Fierce Discontent by Michael McGerr delves into the revolution of values from the victorian era to the progressive within the late nineteen century to the early twentieth century. McGerr’s major argument is the contrast between this set of values. The gilded age which McGerr focuses is the period where progressive values begin to take form and societal change ensues. The victorian values are values which epitomizes the British culture as just the name of the era is derived from queen Victoria. Alternatively the progressive era was a political reform focusing on anti corruption, women suffrage, and fixing the social problems plaguing society. McGerr argues that the victorian era and progressive era strikes few similarities within the
The last two centuries have been full of drastic changes in the human condition. Today, we tend to overlook just how drastic those changes were. Britain during the late 18th Century provides an excellent example because both the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution were chipping away at the established social order. In Britain, the aristocracy had ruled in relative stability since the medieval period. There were power struggles but the ideology of privilege remained untouchable. British society considered privilege a reward for refinement and expected a gentleman to distinguish himself by following a specific code of conduct. However, his duty and honor depended on more than a code; he also had to feel sympathy for the weaker sex and the lower classes and know when to act accordingly. This sensibility made him “gentle” and a just participant in the governing process. In the 1790’s and 1800’s these gentlemanly ideals were eroding. Yet, while the British did not guillotine their nobles like the French did, many still said that rapid change could unravel the delicate balance of society perpetuated by a refined nobility. The rise of merchants and industrialists into the ranks of the upper class graphically illustrated a shift toward individual success and the selfish ideology of capitalism. Gentlemen through birth and education were losing ground to these nouveaux-rich and consequently the ruling class disconnected further from their communities.
H. G. Wells had rather extreme views in every respect. He was a prominent Fabian for some time and upheld many socialistic ideas that many still have a problem with. His views on human nature were pessimistic, the future was an eventual disappointment, but his writing is the kind that can capture the attention of many people from all ages and walks of life and draw attention to his ideas—which he did to great effect. What makes these books so fascinating? To answer questions such as these, it is imperative to know about the life of the man behind the books. Herbert George Wells was born on September 21, 1866 into a lower middle class family. He worked hard as both a student and assistant to multiple jobs before moving to London with a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Science. It was here that he was introduced to “Darwin’s Bulldog”, the eminent biologist T. H. Huxley, a man whose opinions helped shape Wells’ own for the rest of his life. Instead of becoming a biologist as recommended by Huxley, he became instead a teacher, and overworked himself until he fell into very bad health. On the doctor’s orders, he went to the south coast of England to rest until he ran out of money and returned to London. It was around this time that he met Frank Harris, editor of the “Saturday Review” newspaper, and began his careers as both a novelist and a journalist. Throughout the rest of his life he wrote steadily, averaging a little more than a book per year. In following his writing, one can see four distinct styles emerging throughout it all. At the beginning he went through a science-fiction phase containing books such as The Time Machine, The War of the Worlds, and the Invisible Man. The second phase contained his “humorous Dickensian novel...
“The Time Machine” can be seen as Wells’s socialist warning of what will befall humanity if capitalism continues to exploit worker for the benefits of the rich.
During the Victorian Era, society had idealized expectations that all members of their culture were supposedly striving to accomplish. These conditions were partially a result of the development of middle class practices during the “industrial revolution… [which moved] men outside the home… [into] the harsh business and industrial world, [while] women were left in the relatively unvarying and sheltered environments of their homes” (Brannon 161). This division of genders created the ‘Doctrine of Two Spheres’ where men were active in the public Sphere of Influence, and women were limited to the domestic private Sphere of Influence. Both genders endured considerable pressure to conform to the idealized status of becoming either a masculine ‘English Gentleman’ or a feminine ‘True Woman’. The characteristics required women to be “passive, dependent, pure, refined, and delicate; [while] men were active, independent, coarse …strong [and intelligent]” (Brannon 162). Many children's novels utilized these gendere...
The effects humanity has had on Earth are still apparent to the Time Traveller when he arrives: the Earth is free from weeds, gnats, and disease; a plethora of sweet fruits, beautiful butterflies, eradication of disease creates a social paradise, an Eden. Man has obtained complete control of his environment to his absolute satisfaction, and the “struggle for existence” (40) has been eliminated as a result of man’s manipulation of the Earth in the pursuit of perfection. With this Wells, through the Time Traveller, asserts a pessimistic Darwinian devolution theory that asserts itself in the pursuit of perfection. The Time Traveller states that “hardship and freedom…[cause] the weaker [to] go to the wall” (40) and in the year 802,701 “the weak are as well-equipped as the strong” (41). By obtaining control over the natural world, humanity has prevented Darwinism from occurring, and in doing so, humanity itself struggled no more, creating an equalization of intelligence among the Eloi. An equalization is not portrayed to be desirable, the Eloi have a limited attention span, and are often described to be acting like
The problem with society during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries was the equality of all persons was few and far between. The bourgeoisie was in control of all the power and the proletariats were basically under their control. It was as if the bourgeoisie “originated out of the old medieval peasant class, in opposition to the medieval titled aristocracy.” [ii] They had taken over everything; the oppressed class lived by their rules and ways of life. Their way of life was not a happy one; family was based upon money instead of love. “Capital developed in the same proportion as the class of laborers developed.” ii Life then seemed simple for those living the life of the bourgeoisie, b...
The Mistreatment of Women During the Victorian Era “The day may be approaching when the whole world will recognize woman as the equal of man.” (Susan B. Anthony) The Victorian era was an extremely difficult time for women in Great Britain. They were subject to gross inequalities such as not being able to control their own earnings, education, and marriage. As well as having a lack of equality within marriage, women had poor working conditions, and an immense unemployment rate as well.
The industrialization of the nineteenth century was a tremendous social change in which Britain initially took the lead on. This meant for the middle class a new opening for change which has been continuing on for generations. Sex and gender roles have become one of the main focuses for many people in this Victorian period. Sarah Stickney Ellis was a writer who argued that it was the religious duty of women to improve society. Ellis felt domestic duties were not the only duties women should be focusing on and thus wrote a book entitled “The Women of England.” The primary document of Sarah Stickney Ellis’s “The Women of England” examines how a change in attitude is greatly needed for the way women were perceived during the nineteenth century. Today women have the freedom to have an education, and make their own career choice. She discusses a range of topics to help her female readers to cultivate their “highest attributes” as pillars of family life#. While looking at Sarah Stickney Ellis as a writer and by also looking at women of the nineteenth century, we will be able to understand the duties of women throughout this century. Throughout this paper I will discuss the duties which Ellis refers to and why she wanted a great change.
During the 19th century middle to upper class women were faced with dichotomous roles. On one hand they were expected to be idle, fragile, not engaged in intellectual activities outside of the home. On the opposite hand these same women were expected to withstand the vagaries that were common during the 19th century such as the death of their husband or a reversal of their financial situation(i). This contradiction of roles bore heavily on women who often lacked power or control over their own lives(ii).
"History in Focus." : The Victorian Era (Introduction). Institute of Historical Research., Apr. 2001. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.
The Victorian Era in English history was a period of rapid change. One would be hard-pressed to find an aspect of English life in the 19th century that wasn’t subject to some turmoil. Industrialization was transforming the citizens into a working class population and as a result, it was creating new urban societies centered on the factories. Great Britain enjoyed a time of peace and prosperity at home and thus was extending its global reach in an era of New Imperialism. Even in the home, the long held beliefs were coming into conflict.
During Queen Victoria's reign in England, ideals and the very thought of going against the “current” was born and passed along, embellishing into our mainstream personal views on practically everything. Throughout her reign of 64 years, till her death in 1901, England saw changes that changed their own way of doing things, their own way of thinking and refining their views to the point where it represented their work and no one could disagree with them. It was during her successful reign in England that incomprehensible things took place that changed history within such fields and specialties as art, literature, music, philosophy, sciences, and modern inventions. It is because of this time period, known as the Victorian Era, we have many of the modern conveniences, ideas, philosophies, and knowledge that we enjoy, and take for granted, on a daily basis. This period bridged the gap from the dark and medieval ages to our present and productive day. Authors, playwrights, and philosophers documented the changes that society underwent during the Victorian era. Oscar Wilde’s The importance of being earnest and even Charles Dicken’s works have included these such changes in society. This would not have come about without the influence of the ideas and works of several people from Britain, living under
The story opens with a group of men talking to a man who claims to be able to time travel. He proves with a miniature time machine, but several of the men are skeptical. The time traveler has another meeting and comes to it exhausted. He claims he has traveled to the future and tells his story. He says when he arrived he saw white creatures speaking a weird language. When he tries to return to his time, he finds his machine has disappeared. He is forced to stay get to know the creatures, which he finds out are called Eloi. He also finds out that there is another species that lives underground called Morlocks. He journeys into the world of Morlocks, but they try to kill him. He believes they are the ones who stole his machine. While exploring, Morlocks attack him. He saves himself by starting a forest fire. When he gets back to the home of the Eloi, he finds his time machine. However, he realizes that the Morlocks are using it to trap him. The time traveler jumps on it and goes forward in time before the Morlocks can get him. He keeps going forward in time looking for some time that safe, but he cannot. Eventually, he goes back to his right time and walks into the meeting. He then decides to go into the future again, but a few years later, he has still not returned.