VictoriaVictorian Agen Age

The Importance The Importance of Being Ernestof Being Ernest

The last quarter of the The last quarter of the 1919thth century century

England was at its England was at its highest pointhighest point

Queen Victoria ReignedQueen Victoria Reigned

1837-1901

The Era The Era gave birth gave birth to the rise to the rise of the eliteof the elite

Creating disparity Creating disparity between the rich between the rich

and the poorand the poor

Victorian Class Victorian Class StructureStructure

1.1. Aristocracy or Upper Aristocracy or Upper ClassClass

2.2. Middle Class Middle Class

3.3. Working ClassWorking Class

4.4. Under ClassUnder Class

IDEAS OF THE AGEIDEAS OF THE AGE Connotations of “prudish”, “old-

fashioned”, and “repressed” Great age of religious doubt Marked by social responsibility Socialism, feminism, unionization

of workers, and other modern movements began

A Romantic emphasis on self, emotion, and imagination

What was the average What was the average wage in the US at the end wage in the US at the end

of the Victorian Age?of the Victorian Age?

What age did some What age did some children begin working?children begin working?

What was the average What was the average life expectancy?life expectancy?

Medical Care Medical Care substandardsubstandard

90% of US 90% of US physicians had physicians had no college no college education. education. Instead, they Instead, they attended a attended a medical school.medical school.

Leading Causes of DeathLeading Causes of DeathPneumoniaPneumonia InfluenzaInfluenzaTuberculosisTuberculosisDiarrheaDiarrheaHeart DiseaseHeart DiseaseStrokeStroke

Women had a higher mortality rate Women had a higher mortality rate than men…than men…

ChildbirthChildbirthFrequent Frequent

exposure to exposure to illnessillness

Ate less than Ate less than menmen

Poor hygienePoor hygiene

Most women washed their hair only Most women washed their hair only once a month and used borax or once a month and used borax or

egg yolks for shampooegg yolks for shampoo

Highest mortality rate was Highest mortality rate was for infantsfor infants

Main causes of death?Main causes of death?1.1. Scarlet FeverScarlet Fever

2.2. Whooping CoughWhooping Cough

3.3. MeaslesMeasles

4.4. DiphtheriaDiphtheria

5.5. Small PoxSmall Pox

6.6. 95% of births95% of births took place took place at homeat home

How many children How many children did the average did the average

family have?family have?

How were children How were children disciplined?disciplined?

Whipped

Locked in a room for days

No food or water

Ice baths

Caning

Scare tactics such as taking children to a public hanging

Wearing signs on their backs

High School High School Graduation Graduation

What was Victorian Society like?What was Victorian Society like?

Structured

Difficult to move outside one’s class

Restrictions on behavior

The wealthy enjoyed leisure

What happens at What happens at Four o’clock?Four o’clock?

Who am I?Who am I?

Oscar Wilde

Born October 16, 1854Born October 16, 1854

Ireland

Oscar Wilde was Oscar Wilde was christened…christened…

Oscar Fingal Oscar Fingal O’Flahertie Wills WildeO’Flahertie Wills Wilde

Oscar Wilde used a Oscar Wilde used a different name after he different name after he

was released from was released from prison…prison…

Sebastian Melmoth

Family HistoryFamily History His father was a

prominent ophthalmologist

His mother was a large woman who was given to romantic imaginings

BIOBIO Poetry prize by the

age of 24

His own best publicity agent

Known for his wit

Lifestyle questioned—2 years of prison

Considered a “dandy” or flamboyant dresser

Examples of Wilde’s Examples of Wilde’s Wit…Wit…

Wilde spent an entire year on a speaking tour of America. On being asked by a New York customs official if he had anything to declare, he replied, “only my genius.”

More examples of More examples of Wilde’s wit…Wilde’s wit…

On his deathbed, he complained about the unattractive wallpaper in his hotel room commenting that either the wallpaper or he would have to go. He died at the Hotel d”Alsace and is buried in Paris.

The End of the Victorian Age

in America 14 % had bathtubs

8% had phones

3 minute call from Denver to New York cost $11.00

Only 144 miles of paved roads in America

The End of the Victorian The End of the Victorian AgeAge

in Americain America 8,000 cars in US

Average wage is 22 cents an hour

Average salary is $200-$400 year

Accountants, vets, and mechanical engineers could earn $1,500-$5,000 per year

The End of the Victorian AgeThe End of the Victorian Agein Americain America

More than 95% of all births took place in the home

Eiffel Tower was the tallest structure in the world

Most women washed their hair only once a month

Shampoo consisted of borax or egg yolks

The End of the Victorian The End of the Victorian AgeAge

in Americain America Canada passed a law prohibiting

poor people from entering the country for any reason

The American flag had 45 stars

Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and Alaska hadn’t been admitted to the Union yet

The End of the Victorian The End of the Victorian AgeAge

in Americain America The population of Las Vegas was only 30

Canned beer and ice tea hadn’t been invented yet

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day did not exist

Coca Cola contained cocaine

Marijuana, heroin, morphine were available over the counter at corner drugstores

The End of the Victorian The End of the Victorian AgeAge

in Americain America 18% of households had at

least one full time servant

Only 6% of Americans graduated from high school

One in ten US adults couldn’t read or write

There were only about 230 reported murders in the entire US

Oscar Wilde QuotesOscar Wilde Quotes

An idea that is not An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all.being called an idea at all.

Only the shallow Only the shallow know know

themselves.themselves.

The clever people never The clever people never listen, and the stupid listen, and the stupid

people never talk.people never talk.

When people agree with When people agree with me I always feel that I me I always feel that I

must be wrong.must be wrong.

To be natural is To be natural is such a very such a very

difficult pose to difficult pose to keep up.keep up.

The soul is born old but The soul is born old but grows young. That is grows young. That is

the comedy of life. And the comedy of life. And the body is born young the body is born young and grows old. That is and grows old. That is

life's tragedy.life's tragedy.

Never speak Never speak disrespectfully of disrespectfully of

society. Only society. Only people who can't people who can't

get into it do that.get into it do that.

A man can be A man can be happy with any happy with any

woman, as long as woman, as long as he does not love he does not love

her.her.

A little sincerity is A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, a dangerous thing, and a great deal of and a great deal of

it is absolutely it is absolutely fatal.fatal.

A pessimist is one who, A pessimist is one who, when he has a choice of when he has a choice of two evils, chooses both.two evils, chooses both.

Always forgive your Always forgive your enemies; nothing enemies; nothing

annoys them so much.annoys them so much.

Anybody can make Anybody can make history. Only a great history. Only a great

man can write it.man can write it.

Bigamy is having one wife too many.

Monogamy is the same.

Experience is the name everyone gives to their

mistakes.

I am not young enough I am not young enough to know everything.to know everything.

I can resist I can resist everything everything

except except temptation.temptation.

Men always want to Men always want to be a woman's first be a woman's first

love. Women like to love. Women like to be a man's last be a man's last

romance.romance.

One should always be in love. That is the reason one should never

marry.

One should always play fairly when one has the

winning cards.

One should never trust a woman who tells one her real age. A

woman who would tell one that, would tell one anything.

Some cause happiness

wherever they go; others whenever

they go

Children begin by loving their parents. After a time they judge

them. Rarely, if ever, do they forgive them.

The cynic knows the price of

everything and the value of

nothing

A thing is not necessarily true

because a man dies for it

In this world there are only In this world there are only two tragedies. One is not two tragedies. One is not

getting what one wants, and getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.the other is getting it.

Taking Taking champagne on champagne on

his deathbed: "I his deathbed: "I am dying beyond am dying beyond

my meansmy means””

In America, the young are always ready to give to

those who are older than themselves the full

benefits of their inexperience

Duty is what one expects

from others.

The well-bred The well-bred contradict other contradict other people. The wise people. The wise

contradict contradict themselves.themselves.

There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being

talked about

I must decline your invitation

owing to a subsequent engagement

The world is a The world is a stage, but the stage, but the play is badly play is badly

castcast

No man is rich No man is rich enough to buy back enough to buy back

his past.his past.

I like men who I like men who have a future have a future and women and women who have a who have a

pastpast

THE ENDTHE END