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Very Short Introductions #739
The Victorians: A Very Short Introduction
Very Short Introductions : Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring
The Victorian period may have come to an end over 120 years ago, but the Victorians continue to be a vital presence in the modern world. Contemporary Britain is still in large part Victorian in its transport networks, sewage systems, streets, and houses. Victorian cultural legacies, especially in art, science, and literature, are still celebrated. The first to have to grapple with many of the challenges of modern urban society, we continue to look to the Victorians for inspiration and solace. And we are increasingly aware of the ways their global actions shaped, often for ill, the world around us. Much mythologised, inexhaustibly controversial, the Victorians are an inescapable reference point for understanding the modern histories not just of Britain and its empire, but of the world.
In The A Very Short Introduction Martin Hewitt offers a guide through the thickets of judgement and debate which have grown around the period and its people, to offer a historical overview of the Victorians and their legacies. He seeks to answer five crucial questions. Why have the Victorians continued occupy such a prominent place in the cultures of not just the anglophone world? How far does it make sense to think of a 64-year period arbitrarily given an identity by the longevity of the Queen as an identifiable historical period in a general sense? How justified are the value-laden versions of the Victorians which argue for the existence of a particular world view called 'Victorianism'? Beyond ideology, what was Victorian Britain actually like DS and in particular, what was distinctive about it? Who were the Victorians DS not just the eminent few, but the population as a whole? And finally, how far and with what results did the Victorians and their culture spread across
the globe?
In answering these questions, Hewitt cautions against some long-held orthodoxies, throws a light on some less well-known aspects of the period, and urges the importance of understanding the Victorians on their own terms if we are to effectively engage with their legacies.
ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
The Victorian period may have come to an end over 120 years ago, but the Victorians continue to be a vital presence in the modern world. Contemporary Britain is still in large part Victorian in its transport networks, sewage systems, streets, and houses. Victorian cultural legacies, especially in art, science, and literature, are still celebrated. The first to have to grapple with many of the challenges of modern urban society, we continue to look to the Victorians for inspiration and solace. And we are increasingly aware of the ways their global actions shaped, often for ill, the world around us. Much mythologised, inexhaustibly controversial, the Victorians are an inescapable reference point for understanding the modern histories not just of Britain and its empire, but of the world.
In The A Very Short Introduction Martin Hewitt offers a guide through the thickets of judgement and debate which have grown around the period and its people, to offer a historical overview of the Victorians and their legacies. He seeks to answer five crucial questions. Why have the Victorians continued occupy such a prominent place in the cultures of not just the anglophone world? How far does it make sense to think of a 64-year period arbitrarily given an identity by the longevity of the Queen as an identifiable historical period in a general sense? How justified are the value-laden versions of the Victorians which argue for the existence of a particular world view called 'Victorianism'? Beyond ideology, what was Victorian Britain actually like DS and in particular, what was distinctive about it? Who were the Victorians DS not just the eminent few, but the population as a whole? And finally, how far and with what results did the Victorians and their culture spread across
the globe?
In answering these questions, Hewitt cautions against some long-held orthodoxies, throws a light on some less well-known aspects of the period, and urges the importance of understanding the Victorians on their own terms if we are to effectively engage with their legacies.
ABOUT THE The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
160 pages, Paperback
Published November 24, 2023
7 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 29, 2024
Very short indeed but good on the social and moral conventions of Victorian England.
June 28, 2025
Lots of good introductory information, but without much style or pizzazz. Additionally, and this is to be expected of a book that is described as a "very short introduction," the sheer amount of ground covered in such a short volume could easily overwhelm those who aren't already familiar with the period, while failing to offer enough depth of insight to satisfy the more informed reader. That said, if you're happy to treat these Oxford Introductions like academically-sound Wikipedia entries, they do a solid job—ideal for those who want a bird's-eye view before delving a little deeper.
If you're looking for something more lively and characterful, with literary value all of its own, seek out G.K. Chesterton's "The Victorian Age in Literature."
If you're looking for something more lively and characterful, with literary value all of its own, seek out G.K. Chesterton's "The Victorian Age in Literature."
December 26, 2023
A good introduction and companion. I most appreciate that this intro has given me more to read and continue my research! Best read with some knowledge of the Victorian period, though.
February 19, 2024
Compact overview with pointed ideas of the era
May 22, 2025
Read this while having a Crohn's flare-up on a long-haul flight, which was not as appropriate as reading it while having a gout flare-up on a steamer but there it is.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews