Victorian Era
Characteristics During the Victorian Era When imagining the Victorian Age, royalty, fancy lifestyles, and elaborate living often come to mind. However, during this same era, other lifestyles and conditions of a completely different nature were occurring. Many of the English people lived in poverty. Charles Dickens, one of the great writers of this period, described how it was to live during the Victorian Era. Although England grew from an agricultural to an industrial society, not all citizens benefited from this change. In addition, the undesirable health and medical environment plagued both the wealthy and the poor. Charles Dickens was a profound British writer who composed novels, short stories, dramatic works, poetry, and essays ("Charles Dickens" 1). He was born on February 7, 1812 in Portsmouth England where he was the second of eight children (Perdue 1). His father John was a minor government official as a clerk in the Navy Pay Office: he was then transferred to Somerset House in London. The family moved to Chatham in the Medway Valley, where Charles experienced the most glorious part of his childhood (Perdue 1). After moving back to London, John Dickens had a tendency to live beyond his needs, spending all
This was due to the different living conditions that each class had faced (Mitchell 83). Most citizens relied on traditional remedies and cures like herbal medicine, homemade prescriptions, and health advice that had been passed through families and elderly women. Starting at an early age, Dickens was taught at home by his mother Elizabeth, and later attended a Dame school in Chatham. This relationship was kept a secret until Dickens' daughter revealed it after his death ("Charles Dickens" 2). As a child, Dickens read many 18th century novels and gothic tales, which helped to shape much his own works ("Great Expectations" 1). Ellen was 27 years younger then Dickens, which represents the "happy, later life couple" Joe and Biddy, from Great Expectations ("Charles (John Huffam) Dickens" 2). Apothecaries sold drugs, gave prescriptions and practiced medicine; surgeons set bones, pulled teeth, and treated numerous wounds (Mitchell 85). They would work 12-15 hour days in unsanitary conditions receiving extremely low pay. Dickens became more and more concerned with greed in what is considered his middle period, with writings such as A Christmas Carol, depicting characters such as Ebenezer Scrooge. The public was greatly saddened by his death and his tombstone read: "He was a sympathizer with the poor, the suffering, and the oppressed, and by his death, one of England's greatest poets is lost to the world" (Perdue 1).
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