Victorian Era

The Victorian era, from the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1837 until her death in 1901, was an era of several unsettling social developments that forced writers more than ever before to take positions on the immediate issues animating the rest of society. Thus, although romantic forms of expression in poetry and prose continued to dominate English literature throughout much of the century, the attention of many writers was directed, sometimes passionately, to such issues as the growth of English democracy, the education of the masses, the progress of industrial enterprise and the consequent rise of a materialistic philosophy. This brings me to a discussion of two great writers, Thomas Carlyle, with his thoughts on dehumanization of society and John Stuart Mill, with thoughts of freedom and opinion. Both these writers wanted a positive change in society and equality that in turn, gives a “duty” and “progress” to achieve successful outcomes with cultural and moral implications.

First I want to discuss is the impact that Thomas Carlyle had on the Victoria Era. The cultural “duty” and “process” of the frugal economy was unified by human and spiritual values, while modern culture defied impersonal economic forces and abstract theories of human rights and natural laws. Carlyle thoughts on his fellow Victorians as well as historians made an impact on his beliefs. He believed that a strong leader could be the answer to social reform and that the modern world was breaking down due to this lost. In our text book, The Longman Anthology, it stated that, “Democracy, to Carlyle, meant the breakdown of political order, the “despair of finding any heroes to govern you” (pg. 1124). This gave indication that Carlyle looked at values of communities as collapsing into isolated individualism and laissez-faire Capitalism. He condemns any man or women that didn’t follow a spiritual GOD. His believe that GOD was the only person to abide to and there isn’t any human being that should be compared to him. The Longman Anthology also stated that, “Carlyle’s lifelong insistence on divine purpose at work in the universe was deeply attractive to a society in the grip of social unrest and religious malaise” (pg.1125). From this statement, the idea that our heroes are what drive us to be better is very intriguing. Although most people don't like to admit they idealize a person to great extent it is something everyone does. We as a human race must believe in something in order to strive to find the best so that we might mirror ourselves after a higher person or spirit.

In comparison to Carlyle, John Stuart Mill had his own insights on cultural views of the economy with ideas of “duty” and “process”. Some of Mill’s strongest opinions are contained in his views on issues of freedom of thought and of opinion. Mill highlights believe that moral truths do exist and the individual was essentially sovereign over his own mind and body. Therefore in defending liberty Mill does not say that