第14章维多利亚时期
1. Why do we say that the Victorian Age was one of great changes?
Key: Because that Victorian Age was a paradoxical age of great development in industry, trade, science and technology, overseas expansion and, at the same time, of severe social contradictions and national problems. Speaking specifically, after the industrial revolution of the last century, the adoption of steam engines promoted the mechanization in all branches of industry, especially in textile plants, printing houses, and manufacture factories. Britain grew into the most advanced and prosperous country in the world. Britain pushed its colonial policies all over the world and often by unscrupulous means. London became the centre of world finance and commerce, and Britain with its colonies was said to be an empire where the sun never set. The cruel exploitation brought by the accumulation of capital of early capitalism created a large class of poor workers, including women and children. The rise of a powerful middle class brought with Britain a world outlook that advocated Utilitarianism and Liberalism. In religion, the Victorian period also witnessed disputes and changes. With the development of science, Christian belief and the Bible underwent great challenges.
2. What is being Victorian?
Key: The Puritan morality spread by the Methodists focusing on virtues of hard
work, modesty and worldly success against seeking worldly pleasures was largely responsible for the Victorian idea of respectability, the high standards of decency, as well as the earnest moral pursuit of the time. However, when such pursuits were carried very rigidly to suppress the natural human desires, people became hypocritical to a certain extent. So, being Victorian as seen by moderns suggests practices of prudery, false modesty and empty respectability, all of which came from the exaggerated Victorian notion of the high standards of decency.。