Background information regarding the Victorian Age to better understand Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest"

1. Life in the Late Victorian Age
Society in the time of Oscar Wilde

2. Victorian Life
• Victorian life was relatively structured.
• Social classes were well-defined.
– Presumably all individuals accepted their
station in life and were happy within their
level of society.
– When an individual did move outside his/her
class, he/she was generally shunned.
– Even if you earned money, you would not
necessarily be accepted by upper social strata.

3. Victorian Society
• Victorian society was democratic, but
featured many more restrictions than
modern America.
• Lower classes actually had more freedom.
– People perceived the lower class as merely
existing to serve higher classes.
– Society frequently ignored them.

4. Young Men in the Victorian Age
• Young men in the upper classes received an
education, but spent much of their life in leisure
pursuits.
• First sons would inherit the family wealth, and
had little to worry about.
• Second and subsequent sons could choose to go
into the service (army) or to become a clergyman.
– These were respectable positions, but lower on the
social scale.

5. Young Women in the Victorian Age
• They were encouraged to marry.
• Sometimes had an inheritance, but rarely
controlled their own finances.
• Ladies were permitted to enjoy pleasurable
pursuits: parties, balls (galas), horseback riding,
croquet.
• They were allowed to go to the beach, but they
would need to wear very conservative bathing
suits…

6. Victorian Bathing Suits

7. Young Girls in the Victorian Age
• Young girls were taught to supervise a
household.
• Daily routine included consulting with
housekeeper and cook and planning meals.
• Free time activities:
– Painting china, needlework, music, literature

8. Four O’Clock Tea Time
• A daily routine that became a tradition.
• Everyone stopped all activities for tea time.
– Analogous to a siesta in Europe, South America, and
Central America.
• Tea was usually poured from a silver or china tea
pot.
• Sandwiches and sweets (biscuits, tarts) were
served.
• An important social interruption.
• Dinner was not usually served until 8:00 pm.

9. Tea Time in America
• Do you believe a tradition like this would
have any place or advantage in
contemporary America?
• Is tea time observed anywhere on this
continent?
• Do Americans have a substitute for this
custom?

10. Host your own Tea Time
• For extra credit, you can host your own tea
time!
• Bring in a photo and a short description of
your event.
• Good times!

11. Evening Entertainment
•Evenings included a formal dinner (8 PM).
•Families then might move into the Drawing Room
to enjoy musical entertainment, provided by
younger girls in the family.
•Gentlemen might retire to play billiards.
•On festive occasions, families might play games or
have dances at the country estate.

12. Homes in the Victorian Era
• Some members of the upper class kept an
apartment “in town” (London)
• If they did not own there, they rented
during the “season” so that the young girls
could be presented to society and the
young men could find brides.
• These apartments would be called “flats,”
which is the English word for “floor.”

13. After the Victorian Era
• For the upper classes, this style of living
continued until WWII.
• After WWII, social structures underwent
great changes and the balance of power
among nations shifted.
• Despite changes in home life and industry,
the Victorian tradition of tea time can still
be enjoyed in homes, hotels, and parks.