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Social Class During The Victorian Era

Decent Essays

Social class was considered very important in the Victorian era (1837-1901). They were strictly separated by the rich and the poor, and further separated by upper/middle/lower class. It was expected for people to know where they belonged, and expect to be treated in a certain way based on their class (“Social Restrictions”)
Social class was the target of a widespread obsession, going as far as trying to imitate the food and language of the higher class. Marriage was a common way for people to achieve higher titles (“Social Class”)
The results of the Industrial Revolution were beginning to appear. The population increased dramatically, causing amount of people looking for jobs to increase sharply. As a result, wages and housing prices went down and up respectively (“Victorian Era”)
If women wanted to …show more content…

Though there were very strict rules on good behaviour and how to conduct oneself in a society, child labor rates were incredibly high. A facade was created, based on sternness and obedience, while many chose to turn a blind eye to all the evils that were happening at the same time (Joshi)
Industrialism created a rising power of middle class, which went against the existing social order. Upper class people were often accused as being very materialistic, and cared more of social appearance instead of their inner personality. Viewed having nothing to do as a virtue, and looked down upon those who worked for a living (Joshi)

Tentative Thesis: Include target, folly/criticism, techniques to be examined and a “so what?”

The social class imposed upon the people of the Victorian Era followed harmed people’s lives instead of improving them, as seen through the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Through symbolism, characters, and settings, the negative effects of the class structure prevents people from living a life they want, thus causing people to adopt a persona instead of living their true

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