Romanticism In Victorian Childhood - 1653 Words

Romanticism, Victorian England and the portrayal of Motherhood In the Victorian Era, British society experienced a division of the family dynamic into masculine and feminine roles; the husband attended to the public affairs, while the wife was expected to tend to the domestic matters of the home. The home took on symbolic importance in Victorian society, for it was a haven for the individual to express emotions and manners that couldn’t be expressed publicly. It was in the privacy of the home that women took on the responsibility of childcare (Nead, 33). Romanticism flourished during this period, encouraging parental involvement in the raising of their children into contributing members of society. The artworks of artists such as Charles†¦show more content†¦(Plotz, 8-9) To be a parent and raise a child to have good character was a guaranteed means of an individual to contribute positively to society. As husbands were responsible for public matters that took them away from the home, this placed the wife at the heart of the domestic sphere; as the one the child naturally seeks out for food, guidance and mimicry. A young girl was typically expected to take after her mother, and learn the essential skills necessary to be a good daughter, wife and eventual mother. From their mothers, young boys were considered to learn traits such as fairness, compassion, the importance of keeping faith, when to exercise strength or show mercy, and (using their mother as reference for feminine virtue) how to find a modest wife with which to build a respectable home. The growing interest in childcare and motherhood in British society was reflected in Victorian paintings of the time. Artist Charles West Cope, born July 1811 in Leeds, Park Square, to watercolor painter Charles Cope, painted multiple portraits of mothers and their children which were displayed at the Royal Academy exhibition between the late 1840s to 1870s. He grew up without knowing his mother, for she died after his birth, so found guidance in his father, aunts and teachers, both respected and unkind (Cope, 1-9). Perhaps it is in his desires for a maternal figure that Cope found inspiration for his portraits of motherhood, all of which depict the common theme ofShow MoreRelatedEnglish Language And Composition Of The Victorian Era1320 Words   |  6 PagesMichael Linares Ms. Sipars AP English Language and Composition 15 September 2015 Response #1 England’s Victorian Era was a very influential and interesting Era that took place during the time that Queen Victoria was the Queen of England. The Victorian Era started around 1830 and lasted up until the start of the 20th Century. During this Era England became very powerful. Many amazing masterpieces were created by great artists like Oscar Wilde and Charles Dickens. The three class system which weRead MoreSongs of Innocence and Songs of Experience by William Blake Essay example1126 Words   |  5 Pagesand adulthood are evident. Through its themes of romanticism, Carroll crafts a story that is anti-didactic by its very nature. Before defending such claims, it’s necessary to expand on what values were held by the Romantics. To quote David Sandner â€Å"In Romantic works, the adult moves from teacher to student, from stern moralizing to the undisciplined child to patient listening to the wise instruction of the simple and imaginative child.† Romanticism was a movement that championed both nature and theRead MoreCharles Dickens: A Brief Biography Essay1315 Words   |  6 Pagesthat Charles Dickens blended the Romanticism era, the Industrial age, and the Victorian era into unforgettable novels that still had the whimsical, imaginative part of life. Ruth conceded, â€Å" Dickens increasingly saw the need for finding and nurturing the imaginative core of life that can prevail even in the middle of the modern industrial city (Glancy 17).† Charles used his own experiences and imagination to evoke stories that had an immense impact in the Victorian era, and later years to come. FromRead MoreC loud 91343 Words   |  6 Pagesof this two act play. 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Her mother introduced her to many Victorian author’s, and Levertov wrote to many famous author’s during the time such as T.S Elliot for advice on her poetry (William Doreski 273). While working as a civilian nurse during WWII, she started writing her first book on poetry and in 1946 was able