The Victorian Compromise

This is neither a slogan nor a catch phrase, nor even a badge. It is the meaningful two-word
definition by which G.K. Chesterton (1) labelled the spirit of the early Victorian age.
1 G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) wrote numerous books with little success, though. He was more
of a journalist and opinionist than a historian and critic. He is best remembered for bis life-long
public dispute with G.B. Shaw on drama. (see ahead)
The rapid evolution of society through industrialization and scientific development brought
about myriad problems ranging from social contradictions and discrepancies to political
accomodations and buffer measures, from religious doubts and perplexities to moral
dissatisfaction and decay.
In social terms, the general feeling was one of optimism, a sort of extreme condifence prompted
by the rapid economic growth, which would bring wealth and prosperity for all.
In reality, things did not go that way. Only th new industrialists, and upper-class people with
them, accumulated a great fortune, while the working class and lower people sank into extreme
poverty.
As a result, society presented two opposite situations. On the one hand, too much richness
inevitability led to such aberrations as arrogance, haughtiness, hypocrisy, insincerity, in a word
inhumanity. On the other hand, too much poverty generated a sense of self-confidence along with
a strong moral force and a burning desire of redemption.
Things standing as they were, also the living standard and social conditions in general evidenced
terrible inequities.
The new rich lived in the most elegant districts, in luxurious houses, and they led a dissipate,
unscrupulous life made of all sorts of pleasures. By contrast, the new poor (created by the
Industrial Revolution) were forced to spend a miserable life in the filthiest suburban areas,
sharing dirty slums, in a state of spiritual and physical mortification, with little or no work, and
little or nothing to eat.
Men, women, and even children were obliged to accept inhuman working conditions, along with
pitiless exploitation, to make both ends meet, and survive.
From the political viewpoint, there was a widespread sense of self-reliance in the parties
alternating in power. Government and Parliament were faced with a primary problem among so
many others: to amalgamate the country by eliminating all social ills, injustices, and abuses
through reforms, especially in housing, sanitation, education, employment, child labour in
factories. Only in this way could society be based on just laws and equal opportunities, allowing
everybody to enjoy the prosperity coming from the process of industrialization.
In religion, too, could be felt a creeping uneasiness coinciding with bewilderment and dismay.
Darwin's theory of natural evolution and selection explained in his Origin of Species (1859)
made the Church rock at its foundation.

Actually, Charles Darwin never said that man descended from monkey, he simply spoke of
"natural selection. " Yet, his theory was a tremendous blow for the fundamental Christian beliefs
concerning the existence of God and the creation of the world by Him. Thus, a clash between
science and religion was inevitable, with all the consequences that followed. In point of fact,
religious faith could not be reduced to mere speculation, either scientific or philosophic.
The controversy went on for a long while, involving the most eminent religious authorities and
scientists.
As a result, confusion added to confusion, particularly affecting those people who found it
blasphemous to mingle religious matters with scientific ones.
Last but not least, morals were also going astray.
No doubt, there was little or no morality in the life of upper-class people. There was only an
ostentation of prudery, typically Victorian, just to cover up immoral deeds and cruelties of all
kinds. Quite the contrary was the moral behaviour of the lower-classes. Forced as they were to
break the law for their survival, they always confessed their faults, and badly paid for them. But
deep in their hearts they remained morally sound save for the inevitable exceptions, of course.
The above shows that the Victorian Society was far from being united. And the great merit of ale
prime ministers, statesmen, polito-logists, along with thinkers and writers, was to have striven
for the best solution of all the problems afflicting the nation. So, in order to put a first remedy to
all social conflicts and divisions, they tried to reconcile opposite tendencies, such as science and
religion, material-ism and spiritualism. And to make this reconciliation more credible they
launched th slogan: "God's in heaven everything's all right on earth."
All this could not but arouse scepticism and doubt, pessimism and despondency among people,
for they realized they were given fake substitutes such as sentimentalism instead of sentiment,
moral-ism instead of morality, along with artificial optimism and formal religion.
That is what has come to be known as Victorian Compromise.
The Literary Production
The extraordinary historical moment with Queen Victoria could not but find a direct reflection in
literature.
In point of fact, the new literary trends were prompted by the historical events of the time. For
history and literature go hand in hand, the one being the mirror of the other. The only difference
is certainly found in the duration, which can be exactly determined in historical terms, not
always in literary ones. So it is with the Victorian Age.
Historically, the Age started with Victoria's coronation in 1837, and closed in 1901 with the
Queen's death.
In literature, Victorianism is made to begin some years before Victoria's accession to the throne,
and to continue well over 1901.
No exact dates have ever been suggested in this connection. What it is known for sure is that
effects of Victorianism proper are present in literature well after the first decade of the twentieth
century (1912-1918). It is mainly a matter of anti-Victorian reaction, which refers to the rising of

new literary currents, such as Pre-Raphaelitism and Aestheticism, resulting in decadentism.

All things considered, and to avoid making confusion, it must be said that critics are agreed to
divide Victorian literature into two periods of almost exactly the same length, conveniently
called Early and Late.
The Early Victorian Period extends from 1832 (which marks Scott's death and the passing of the
first Reform Bill) to 1868 (which coincides with Gladstone's first administration, and the climax
of Browning's career).
The Late Victorian Period goes from 1868 (the year in which began the Aesthetic Revival with
Walter Pater) to 1903 (the death of H. Spencer, the father of synthetic philosophy). It is
customary, however, to consider a longer duration, at least up to 1914.
All through the two literary periods, prose prevails over poetry.
The novel becomes the best medium for the exposition and denunciation of wrongs, ills,
distortions, and contradictions afflicting man and society. And satire comes to be the tremendous
device, which allows at once to attack institutions, to urge reforms, and to sympathize with poor
people, the outcasts, in a spirit of humanitarian comprehension.
That is exactly what we call the social and humanitarian novel.
As for poetry, it, too, is given eminence by some excellent poets, more markedly in the early
period.
Actually, th complexity of the age provides material for a variety of literary speculations in the
most varied fields, such as history, science, philosophy, economy, religion, criticism. In the long
run, also drama is rescued from its long-lasting disrepute, becoming, it too, a vehicle for social
and politicai criticism through irony and satire.