Homes and Décor of the Victorian Upper-Middle Class
“For, in the Veneering establishment, from the hall-chairs with the new coat of arms, to the grand pianoforte with the new action, and upstairs again to the new fire-escape, all things were in a state of high varnish and polish” (Dickens 17).
The homes of upper-middle class Victorians were as extravagant as their money would afford, inside and out. In a home where one hoped to host gatherings, parties, and the like, the outside appearance spoke a bit of prestige, and it was important to make a show of as much ‘stuff’ as possible on the inside. The decorations and furniture served as symbols of status and were a means of showing off—the more expensive everything looked, the better the impression (Margetston 78).
Images and photographs of upper-middle class homes portray distinct likenesses to the fashions of high society dwellings. The upper-middle classes emulated high society, projecting their wealth to the furthest extent possible. Inside Aristocratic homes, parrots in cages were sometimes found, along with magnificent ceilings, vaulted and carved, and walls covered by fantastic paintings and “antlered heads of many a noble stag” (43, 48-49). Beautiful chandeliers hung from the ceilings, and a piano was nearby, along with pleated lampshades relished with bows near shelves of books, ornaments, and souvenirs. Chairs and sofas were found covered in chintz, family photographs were framed in silver and velvet, and there were numerous small tables with “tortured legs” (51). Many of these styles were mimicked on smaller levels in upper-middle class homes as families such as the Veneerings strove to “show off” their status and possessions.
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...tures a museum in Michigan, the exhibits form a great example of what the typical Victorian home looked like.
* Take a look at the Piccadilly Mansions in London, an outside picture of luxurious living.
* The Veneerings live near the Podsnaps in Our Mutual Friend. This London map gives a clear suggestion of approximately where these families would have lived.
* In Our Mutual Friend, the Podsnaps live near the Veneerings in Portman Square (Dickens 134). Portman Square can be viewed here, along with other such neighborhoods in London.
Works Cited
Dickens, Charles. Our Mutual Friend. New York: Penguin Books Inc. 1997.
Margetston, Stella. Victorian High Society. New York, New York: Holmes and Meier Publishers, Inc. 1980.
Roberts, Adam C. Victorian Culture and Society: The Essential Glossary. New York. Oxford University Press Inc. 2003.
In the Victorian era, in New York City, men and women roles within the society were as different as night and day. A man regardless of his extra curricular activities could still maintain a very prevalent place in society. A woman’s worth was not only based family name which distinguished her class and worth, but also her profession if that was applicable.
Whether you are visiting the estate or are celebrating a special occasion, take your time and absorb the beauty of your surroundings. As you walk through the rooms and hallways, peer at fabulous paintings, itch to touch the rich fabrics of the furnishings, meander through the decadent gardens, put your imagination to work, and you can almost picture The Great Gatsby-style of pomp and party that happened decades ago.
Swarthmoor Hall and the Lifestyle of a Wealthy Country Gentry Family in the Early 17th Century
For it is a commonplace of our understanding of the period that the Victorian writer wanted above all to “stay in touch.” Comparing his situation with that of his immediate predecessors, he recognized that indulgence in a self-centered idealism was no longer viable in a society which ever more insistently urged total involvement in its occupations. The world was waiting to be improved upon, and solved, and everyone, poets, included had to busy themsel...
At the beginning of the story, the narrator is moving into a house that she is renting while her house in being renovated. She describes the house as "The most beautiful place! It is quite alone, standing well back from the road, quite three miles from the village. It makes me think of English places that you read about, for there are hedges and walls and gates that lock, and lots of separate little houses for the gardeners and people" (105). This quote reflects that she considers this house as a place only the noble could live in. She has only read about homes like this, and she never thought that she would be living in one. She seems happy that she will be able to rent such a house. She adds that "There is a delicious garden! I never saw such a garden--large and shady, full of box-bordered paths, and lined with long grape-covered arbors with seats under them" (105). This adds to the elegant and royal qualities that the narrator believes the house has.
riche into riches surpassing those of the highest aristocracy. Their houses of course had to be decorated outdoing the splendor
The Elizabethans valued bragging rights above all else, they strived to be able to show off. No matter how uncomfortable it may force them to live their lives. If you really look at the homes of nobles you’ll see that, none of it actually looks like something worth living in. That’s because living in it wasn’t it’s main purpose, it was meant to look better than everybody elses, much like most every aspect of their lives, be i...
The Victorian period is often defined by its antique images of flowers, doilies, rosy-cheek children and intricate fashion. However, these trite images shadow the true realities of middle-class families struggling to succeed in the emerging business world. Traditionally, the men spent long days in the city working out business affairs, while the women stayed home with the children preparing meals and planning for social gatherings. Work was often not an option for women because they were seen as incapable of any duty outside of the home. However, with the onset of Queen Victoria’s reign, the women of England slowly began to challenge their subservient roles, taking on jobs as teachers, writers, and charity workers. Over the next fifty years, women explored many occupational fields that were before only available to men. The Victorian women were able to controvert many of the stereotypes that existed about them, while also creating a future filled with new opportunities for women of all classes.
The Victorian era was remarkable for its rigid gender roles, which defined societal interactions. The prototypical Victorian woman existed in the domestic sphere, where she acted as a moral compass to guide her husband and children toward traditional morality. This vision was mostly limited to the middle and upper classes, but if her family’s circumstances were good, the Victorian woman might have spread her domestic, moralizing influence outside of her home to help the less fortunate. The Victorian man, on the other hand, occupied the public sphere, where he dealt with business and politics, and the more complex moral codes of the two. His home was a retreat, where he could take comfort in the morally upright space his wife made for him. However, as the period wore on, these strict gender roles proved to be too oppressive, and a “New Woman” emerged. The New Woman, as portrayed by Vivie Warren in Mrs. Warren’s Profession, steps out of the domestic sphere, a move that requires agency, moral complexity, and separation from – sometimes even emulation of – men. Because this stance was so different from the typical Victorian woman, it posed challenges not just for the New Women themselves, but for all members of society they interacted with.
Balls, formal dinners, and social gatherings dominate people’s view of the nineteenth century. Upper-class women lived a life of splendor and grandeur, and the white, gentle hands of those women hardly lifted to do any work. Most would strive to attain such a life because of its outward appearance; however, masked behind the smiles and parties, suppression ran high. Men dominated their households, and they repressed their wives. Life did not live up to the expectation of many women as they struggled against the controlling and authoritative male figures in their lives.
Furneaux, Holly. "Victorian Sexualities." Literature Compass. Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 12 Oct. 2011. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
The idealization of Victorian values began in the eighteenth century with the wealthy upper-class. Victorians were classified as the elite that partook in aristocratic fun. They participated in military sports, organized theater, fine arts, and classical music. As the years progressed, the middle-class emerged, modernizing Victorian principles. Their careers comprised of successful business men, skilled craftsman, and politicians. The elite men were White, Anglo- Saxon, Protestants, that produced and regulated the industrialization of popular culture. The Victorian middle-class was considered the most powerful group from the 1830’s- 1916. Victorians cultivated the consumer revolution, by purchasing luxuries, including, books, mirrors, furnishings,
The Victorian era established strict guidelines and definitions for the ladies and gentleman. Noble birth typically defined one as a "lady" or a "gentleman," but for women in this time period, socioeconomic rank and titles held no prestige or special privileges in a male-dominated society. Commonly, women in this era generally tried to gain more influence and respect but to no avail as their male counterparts controlled the ideals and practices of society. Women were subject to these ideals and practices without any legal or social rights or privileges. In the literary titles by Frances Power Cobbe, Sarah Stickney Ellis, Charlotte Bronte, Anne Bronte, John Henry Cardinal Newman, Sir Henry Newbolt, and Caroline Norton, the positions, opinions, and lifestyles of men and women during the Victorian era were clearly defined. Men in the Victorian era were raised to be intellectually and physically sound in order to be skillful in the workplace and the military while women were typically restricted to fulfilling roles within the home. As the female desire for equal rights and representation under the law mounted, an international vigor for female equality would produce a call for equality.
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.
"History in Focus." : The Victorian Era (Introduction). Institute of Historical Research., Apr. 2001. Web. 29 Mar. 2014.