Class Relations in Victorian and early 20th Century Literature
← White Noise: Is Honesty the Best Policy? | The Role of Women in Society → |
INTRODUCTION
Social relations have been changing throughout history, forming new roles and approaches to the interaction between people and defining their positions in the social hierarchy. The significance of such relations becomes obvious in the case of tensions, which have led to numerous conflicts between different strata, as well as the development of prejudice formed as a result of those confrontations. Therefore, the analysis of relations between classes is crucial for the understanding of the current attitude of the society toward them. In terms of this research paper, the scope is narrowed to the class relations in Victorian Age, which were described by the classics of the world literature: Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw. Their works Pygmalion and The Importance of Being Earnest were used for the research on class relations between the elite, educated people, and commoners. According to the obtained data and additional supportive information from academic sources, relations between classes in the Victorian Age were unequal and extremely unethical. Moreover, the satiric form of representation of such relations in both works suggests that the issue of relations between classes had a personal context for both writers. Class relations in Victorian England were strongly influenced by the place, which a person held in the social hierarchy, as well as by the level of education and belonging to the elite.
METHOD
For the research of the works of Oskar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw, the method of the content analysis was used. It was narrowed to the study of qualitative patterns of representation of relations between classes in the Victorian Age. In addition, supportive sources, for example, Barris (2005) and Porten (2006), were used for supporting or refuting the obtained data.
RESULTS
The plot of Pygmalion is based on the Greek myth about a sculptor, Pygmalion, and his artwork, Galatea, which was brought to the historical reality of Victorian Age. The story focuses on relations between main characters, thus classes that they represent. This belonging distorts their perception of each other under pressure of the social morality. Eliza Doolittle is a young, cheerful, and brisk girl, who gets a living by selling flowers; Henry Higgins is a cynical and rugged but well-attended professor of phonetics, The two are similar in their free spirit and desire to break social norms, but different in their status and place in the social hierarchy, which changes their perception of each other (Shaw 112). Professor and his friend, Colonel Pickering, have made a bet that the first can nurture a noblewoman from a flower girl. The very event of such bet shows the unethical and humiliating attitude of the educated elite toward commoners (Porten, 72). Therefore, it can be considered an evidence of the humiliating attitude of the noble class to commoners, who, in their turn, had a similar attitude to the rich. However, because of being a representative of the socio-philosophical direction in literature and adhering to the idea that no one should depend on anyone, George Bernard Shaw was sure that the poor and the rich differ only in clothing and the ability to learn manners. He expressed this idea in the fate of Miss Doolittle. The conflict becomes especially obvious at the moment when Eliza realizes that she does not know what to do after the experiment comes to an end. She can neither return to selling flowers since her education changed her perception nor become a noblewoman since she has no required finances (Shaw 131). However, she finds the third solution and realizes that the knowledge she acquired equates her with the professor; thus, she can compete with him (Porten 74). Therefore, Pygmalion shows the unequal attitude between strata of the British society and contributes to the understanding of Shows position on the diversity as an atavism that is based on ones place in the social hierarchy.
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde presents another side of class relations in the British society of the Victorian Age. However, the main value of the text is in its satire on the hypocrisy of the noble society, which was common in Victorian Age. Oscar Wilde has written this play right before social persecutions toward him from the British society (Barris 195). In regard to this background, it becomes obvious that he had involved in this play for high class the hidden constructs, which was common for the Prince of Aesthetes and Master of Outrageous Paradoxes. First of them is the title of the play, in which he utilizes a wordplay with the name Ernest and word earnest. Furthermore, the dialogues of characters use similar artistic devices, which are supposed to draw attention to the hypocrisy of the high class of the Victorian society. However, the main idea of the play focuses on the influence of ancestry on the social status of a person. In line, all statements of Lady Bracknell about conditions of marriage with her daughter are similar to trading (Barris 198). In such a manner, she treats her child as a commodity, which should be sold with the best benefit for herself and her family. According to this information, it can be assumed that class relations in the British nobility of the time were extremely inhumane and were based on the constant hypocrisy and hiding of emotions. In addition, the behavior of two egoists, John Warding and Algernon Moncrieff, shows how common social masks were in communication with others. They preferred to hide under the name of Ernest in order to achieve their goal rather than to show their personality and earn the respect and right to get married to the woman they wanted. In addition, the description of the ceremonies during communications of the elite can be an evidence of the deceitful behavior with some hidden motives behind it (Wilde, 62). Thus, the analysis of The Importance of Being Earnest draws readers attention to the issue of the intrinsic class relations hypocritical behavior of the noble class.
DISCUSSION
The Victorian culture is more complex and diverse than the stereotyped ideas about it are. They emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries after the crisis of its value system, which was described in the proposed works. Moreover, in the 20th century, the constant reassessment of values of the Victorian society took place. It started when the sharp criticism of Victorianism and its value foundations was replaced by ideas of returning to classical values. Victorian Age is known for significant changes in the lifestyles of the whole world, manifested in the domination of the urban way of life over rural one, which used to be common for the majority of the elite of the British society. The urban space, created by the will and desire of men, forms the technology of human communication, its way of life, its value world in a new way as compared to the patriarchal, rural culture. In addition, the development of the industry and connection of British cities with railway had significantly changed social roles and relations in the Victorian society. While in the rural culture, a person inherited the lifestyle and patterns of behavior, in the urban culture, one has to adopt a new behavior in order to be successful. In line, Shaws Pygmalion demonstrates changes in the British society by opposing the talented Eliza to her teacher - Henry Higgins, who is perceived as one of the conservative British snobs. Also, the metaphoric analogy with the ancient Greek legend about sculptor Pygmalion assumes that Eliza is an analogy of Galatea, which means that she is a perfect example of the artist's skills. According to such a standpoint, it can be assumed that Shaw, who was an Irish writer that experienced social diversity during his first work experience (Porten 79), emphasizes the perfectness of the commoners, who after getting a good education can become equal to or even better than the nobles.
On the one hand, the triumph of the technological dynamism and significant social mobility lead to the passionate desire of the majority of Victorians to remain stable in possessing things that retain their value. Therefore, one of the paradoxical features of the Victorian Age is that this period is famous for a very stable and original system of spiritual and moral values, while material values and possession of things were emphasized. Therefore, on the other hand, the Victorian Age is a period of the hidden desire of the noble class to preserve their lifestyle, inherent to their society for centuries. Also, this desire to conserve all ancient traditions was supported by social norms and morality, which was similar to principals of law. However, this conservation assumes the fear of uncertainty of the British noble class in the Age of Changes, which led them to the hypocritical behavior in order to suppress and hide this fear. Exactly these issues of the in-class relations of the Victorian elite can be traced in The Importance of Being Earnest, in which all relations between characters are based on the masquerade and desire to play roles, which are expected by the society (Barris 206). Moreover, the rituals, described in this play, are the reflection of the desire to hide huge fears and complexes of the human community, which is on the verge of changes.
CONCLUSIONS
Pygmalion and The Importance of Being Earnest are the works, which focus on the class relations of the Victorian Age. However, the two are different in their main ideas and descriptions. Pygmalion opposes the new personality of commoners, who were taught and became successful, and the personality of the British nobility, who perceive commoners as people of the second sort. The Importance of Being Earnest, in contrast to Pygmalion, focuses on the in-class relations of British nobles, who are playing their hypocritical roles and wearing masks for the achievement of desired goals. Both this books reflect of relations in the contemporary British society, as well as changes and conservative tendencies. Thus, relations between the social strata of the Victorian society were extremely complex and controversial; this reality was caused by social changes, urbanization, industrialization, and coming to power of the middle class.
Purchase essay online from our company and you will get one of the best papers written!
- The Role of Women in Society
- Yellow Wallpaper
- White Noise: Is Honesty the Best Policy?
- Mystics, Mavericks and Merrymakers by Stephanie Wellen Levine
![]() |
Mark C.
Mexico City, MX
|
|
Thanks to EssaysEmpire.com, I was able to keep my GPA up and will be graduating soon. I really needed assistance with my writing. I aced everything else, but I have always had problems expressing myself in writing. The writers at EssaysEmpire.com took the ball and ran with it! Because of them, I am going to graduate. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all of the valuable assistance. |
![]() |
David H.
New York, NY
|
|
I want to thank each writer who participated in helping with my large project. I know they spent a lot of energy turning out an admirable product, and I feel good for having hired them to take on this important project. EssaysEmpire.com is reputed as the best writing company on the Internet. Now, I know first hand, that you live up to that reputation. I could not have asked for a better deal. |
![]() |
Tiffany E.
Monroe, LA
|
|
I am 100% satisfied with the writer that you assigned to my project. This person understood exactly what I needed, even though I’m not the best communicator and the instructions were tedious and difficult. I felt certain I would have to send my paper back for a number of revisions, but I didn’t. The writer was able to convey exactly what I wished to express and he did it in record time!Thanks for everything. EssaysEmpire.com is the greatest! |
![]() |
Della M.
Belfast, IR
|
|
I had to turn on my laptop for the express purpose of writing to you. I had to let you know what lifesavers you people are! I had never even considered hiring a professional writer to help me and was almost resigned to dropping out of school altogether. Then, I thought about it, and asked myself what it would hurt to try EssaysEmpire.com for just one paper. That paper was written astonishingly well! From that one paper, I learned many of the things that I did not know about writing. It was perfect, so I learned all about formatting in the APA style. I learned a lot, so I want to thank you for that. |
![]() |
Katy A.
London, England
|
|
Your writers are very good at what they do. I would recommend your service to anyone. It is impressive and it doesn’t cost too much. |
![]() |
Ramona R.
Sparks, NV
|
|
Thank you for doing such stellar work on my paper. How anyone could write a paper this well on a subject this boring, is beyond me. When I tried to write it myself, I thought it would have put my professor to sleep! Your writers made it sound so interesting! I really appreciate that. Thanks a million! |
![]() |
Bruce B.
Purcell, OK
|
|
I had a hard time articulating what my professor wanted, so I was able to speak straight to my writer. After I had explained a little bit, I could tell he understood everything. He then took the ball and ran with it, so to speak. He wrote my paper in two days and it was the picture of perfection! I am very grateful that he knew what to do and how to do it so perfectly. |
![]() |
Beverly S.
Cambridge, MA
|
|
I appreciate the help your wring service gave me with my biology paper. I have never cared much for biology. It is a tough subject for me to grasp. This is why I needed so much help with my paper. The writer absolutely understood the whole topic and turned out work that would have made anyone proud. Thanks a million for the great paper. |
![]() |
Ren B.
Sparks, NV
|
|
I ordered two papers from you at once. Both of them had strict deadlines and not that much time left. Your writers managed to get both papers to me on time, and both of them received high marks. I am so happy about this! |
![]() |
Glen M.
Oakland, CA
|
|
Your writers are awesome! I got an A and two A+’s on the papers that they wrote for me! |
![]() |
Patti F.
Boulder, CO
|
|
I have complete confidence in the quality of the work that I order from your writing service. You have always been the prime example of what a writing service should be. |
![]() |
Cleo C.
Wichita, KS
|
|
To the writers at EssaysEmpire.com: Next week, I will be graduating with a degree in clinical psychology. Over the course of my college years, I have had to turn to you for help many times. Each and every time, you produced some of the highest quality writing my professors had ever seen. Because of you, I was able to keep a high grade point average and get into an excellent grad school. There are simply no words adequate enough to fully express my appreciation, so I’ll simply say, “thank you” and let it go at that. Please know that you are appreciated. |
![]() |
Ohjasi O.
Tokyo, JP
|
|
The essay that your writers turned out for me far exceeded what I was expecting. It even came with a plagiarism report to prove that it was original. The customer service center was the picture of perfection, too. I loved everything about using EssaysEmpire.com and plan to use your services again. You are one class act! |
![]() |
Sarah M.
Portland, OR
|
|
Today was the perfect day to make an A+! It convinced me that there are solutions to problems that seem impossible to solve. When I realized that the due date for my paper was coming up quickly, I felt like there was nothing I could do. If I didn’t hand in my paper on time, I would get an F and fail the course. However, I had to study for 3 major exams and write two other papers. My roommate suggested that I turn the paper over to you guys, which I did, and voila! I got an A+ on it and the problem was solved. Thank you, EssaysEmpire.com and to your writers and staff. You are a great writing service. |
![]() |
Marcella M.
Lexington, KY
|
|
Dear EssaysEmpire.com, I am very happy with the work that your writers did for me. I was impressed by the plagiarism report, too. Thanks for everything! |
![]() |
Pierre W.
Memphis, TN
|
|
There are four things that I look for in a good writing service. #1. They have to be fast. A good writing service won’t miss an important deadline. #2. A good writing service will let customers actually talk to the writer who is working on their customer’s papers, so the customer can work out important details. #3. A good writing service will have a user-friendly website that is easy for the customer to use and #4, a good writing service will offer quality guarantees. EssaysEmpire.com meets all of this criteria and more. EssaysEmpire.com is the best writing service and has the reputation to prove it. I wouldn’t even consider using another writing service since experiencing the excellence that is EssaysEmpire.com! |
![]() |
Marcy V.
Paris, FR
|
|
Given the short amount of time I gave your writers to create my term paper, I was amazed by how good it was when I received it back! It appeared they had spent months writing it, rather than just one week. Thank you, EssaysEmpire.com! I enjoyed doing business with you. You are a fabulous writing company. |
![]() |
Joyce T.
New Orleans, LA
|
|
I was trying to choose between EssaysEmpire.com and another online writing service and I didn’t know which one to pick. Then, I began to read reviews. I didn’t read even one thing negative about EssaysEmpire.com, and the other site was fraught with complaints. I went with EssaysEmpire.com, and it turned out that all the good things I had read about the service were true. My paper was fully guaranteed, but it was A-1 quality. The customer service people were great. The prices were right. Now, I am a devoted fan. When I need help with my writing, I go straight to EssaysEmpire.com! |
![]() |
Marcus H.
Eugene, OR
|
|
You’ve done it again! Every time I order a paper from EssaysEmpire.com, you top the last one. This latest one was the best yet. I truly do appreciate the fact that you offer such high quality writing. It never fails. With some of the other writing services online, you ever really know what you are going to get. Sometimes, they just sell you a paper that someone else has already bought. I never have to worry about things like that happening when I use EssaysEmpire.com. |
![]() |
Mike G.
Rochester, NY
|
|
Your writing service is different from other writing services. Yours is the only one I have ever dealt with that I can truthfully say is legitimate. The staff is very professional. The writers are the best in the business. I am pleased with the results of my last three orders and plan to return for more soon. |