Victorian Era: The Start of Corruption in Moral Values

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Lasting from 1837 to 1901, the Victorian Era followed the Romantic Era. Starting and ending with the reign of Queen Elizabeth, this time period is now viewed as strict, prudish, and “old fashioned,” especially in comparison to today. During those times, the people had to follow a certain standard of living; they were upright people that were modest and controlled. Society at the time adhered to rules such as wearing clothes that covered the women head to toe and abiding by the proper etiquette of following the lead of a host; these laws made the Victorian people’s lives proper. Although the Victorian people seemed to be perfect, this time was also filled with many questions and experiments, making this time period a very progressive one as well. It was a time when women and men alike started to try and bend the rules due to the unhappiness their forced lives brought. Women chose to embrace their bodies while society started to become more secular as opposed to focusing on religion. Although the Victorian society made similar mistakes to that of today, they always had a reason for doing it. The people of the Victorian Era, although surrounded by change, remained true to their values whether they were considered proprietary; and through this change moral values and ultimately society became corrupt. Although many people from today’s society view the Victorian Era as extremely strict and uptight, it was much more than that. This was a time when society, especially women, found themselves to be unhappy with the way things were and wanted change. Women had romanticized visions of marriage where they had aspirations “that they would grow up to marry this perfect man that would be everything they ever dreamed about” (Moore). When thes... ... middle of paper ... ...e.shtml>. Hickenbottom, Iris Leos. Prostitution: Then and Now. 18 May 2002. 20 April 2011 . Horsley, Melissa. Flirting and Courting Rituals of the Victorian Era. 24 April 2011 . Moore, Melissa. Marriage: Then and Now. 3 May 2002. 20 April 2011 . The Victorian Era-Social Institutions. 24 April 2011. 24 April 2011 . Victorian England: An Introduction. 23 April 2011 . Victorian Etiquette. 2011. 21 April 2011 etiquette.html>. Victorian Society. 23 April 2011 .

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