Victorian EnglandVictorian England

An Introduction to An Introduction to

““A Christmas A Christmas Carol”Carol”

by Charles by Charles DickensDickens

What will I learn today?What will I learn today?

Standard:Standard: 1.3 Using context clues 1.3 Using context clues (definition, example, restatement, (definition, example, restatement, contrast) to determine the meaning of contrast) to determine the meaning of unknown words.unknown words.

Objective:Objective: Students will gain Students will gain background knowledge of Victorian life background knowledge of Victorian life through an introduction PowerPoint of through an introduction PowerPoint of

“ “A Christmas Carol”. A Christmas Carol”.

The BeginningThe Beginning

The Romantic The Romantic Period began in Period began in 17981798

It ended when It ended when Victoria became Victoria became Queen in 1837. Queen in 1837.

The Victorian The Victorian period came to an period came to an end in 1901.end in 1901.

Victorian EraVictorian Era

The Victorian Age was The Victorian Age was characterized by rapid characterized by rapid change and change and developments in developments in nearly every sphere.nearly every sphere.

Advances in medicine, Advances in medicine, science, technological science, technological knowledge, population knowledge, population growth, and location, growth, and location, were just some areas were just some areas of progress for the of progress for the British. British.

Education Education

GENTLEMENGENTLEMEN Tutored at home Tutored at home

until they went to a until they went to a UniversityUniversity

Literature and Literature and Languages of Languages of Greece and Rome, Greece and Rome, mathematics, law, mathematics, law, philosophy, history.philosophy, history.

LADIESLADIES Almost entirely at Almost entirely at

home. home. Boarding schools, Boarding schools,

but no Universities. but no Universities. French, drawing, French, drawing,

music, use of music, use of globes, sewing, globes, sewing, embroidery, and embroidery, and accounts. accounts.

Social ClassSocial Class

Working ClassWorking Class- men and woman who - men and woman who performed physical labor, paid daily performed physical labor, paid daily or weekly wages.or weekly wages.

Middle ClassMiddle Class-men performed mental -men performed mental or “clean” work, paid monthly or or “clean” work, paid monthly or annually. annually.

Upper ClassUpper Class- did not work, income - did not work, income came from inherited land and came from inherited land and investments. investments.

Lower Lower Class Class

Upper ClassUpper Class

Middle Middle ClassClass

Income and MoneyIncome and Money

Pounds (L.) Shillings (s.) Pence (d.)Pounds (L.) Shillings (s.) Pence (d.)

Typical Incomes (annual)Typical Incomes (annual) Aristocrats- 30,000 pounds.Aristocrats- 30,000 pounds. Merchants/Bankers- 10,000 pounds.Merchants/Bankers- 10,000 pounds. Lower middle class (head teachers, journalists, Lower middle class (head teachers, journalists,

shopkeepers)- 150-300 pounds.shopkeepers)- 150-300 pounds. Skilled workers (carpenters, typesetters)- Skilled workers (carpenters, typesetters)- 75-100 pounds.75-100 pounds. Sailors/domestic staff- 40-75 pounds Sailors/domestic staff- 40-75 pounds

Laborers/Soldiers- 25 poundsLaborers/Soldiers- 25 pounds

Victorian MoneyVictorian Money

pounds shillingpounds shilling

pencepence

DiseasesDiseases Cholera- caused by Cholera- caused by

human waste in human waste in the drinking water. the drinking water.

Symptoms: Symptoms: nausea, dizziness, nausea, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, vomiting, diarrhea, overwhelming overwhelming thirst, cramps. thirst, cramps.

Death often followed Death often followed within 24 hours of within 24 hours of the first symptom. the first symptom.

Consumption- a Consumption- a tuberculosis of the tuberculosis of the lungs. lungs.

Symptoms: Symptoms: weakness, fatigue, weakness, fatigue, wasting away, wasting away, blood in the lungs. blood in the lungs.

(killed hundreds of (killed hundreds of thousands of thousands of English in the 19English in the 19thth century. century.

Typhus –Spread Typhus –Spread by body lice and by body lice and dirty conditionsdirty conditions

Symptoms: Symptoms: delirium, delirium, headaches, rash, headaches, rash, high fever. high fever.

A Victorian Glossary: A Victorian Glossary:

London LifeLondon Life: Charles Dickens composed : Charles Dickens composed a a Christmas CarolChristmas Carol at a time when at a time when homelessness and economic injustice homelessness and economic injustice were affecting the lower and middle were affecting the lower and middle class, tremendously. He used the plight class, tremendously. He used the plight of the Cratchits to demonstrate that of the Cratchits to demonstrate that even in the face of overwhelming want even in the face of overwhelming want and poverty, the holiday season can and poverty, the holiday season can inspire good will and generosity towards inspire good will and generosity towards one’s neighbors. one’s neighbors.

Two different sides Two different sides to a London life in to a London life in the Victorian era. the Victorian era.

apprenticeapprentice- someone who trains - someone who trains with a master before practicing a with a master before practicing a trade. The term of servitude lasted trade. The term of servitude lasted about seven years, before he could about seven years, before he could earn wages. earn wages.

bakehousebakehouse- - establishment that establishment that would allow the would allow the poor to use their poor to use their premises for premises for heating their heating their meals. The poor’s meals. The poor’s homes would homes would usually lack ovens usually lack ovens so they could only so they could only cook over an open cook over an open fire.fire.

BedlamBedlam- The - The official Hospital of official Hospital of St. Mary of St. Mary of Bethlehem. Bedlam Bethlehem. Bedlam was founded as a was founded as a priory but by 1402, priory but by 1402, it had become a it had become a notorious insane notorious insane asylum. asylum.

charwomancharwoman- a - a woman hired to do woman hired to do cleaning and other cleaning and other chores. chores.

Counting-Counting-househouse- -

a businessman’s a businessman’s office office

dowrydowry- the wealth a - the wealth a bride is supposed to bride is supposed to bring to a marriagebring to a marriage

humbughumbug- a hoax or - a hoax or sham; interjection sham; interjection meaning “nonsense”; meaning “nonsense”; slang for “to deceive slang for “to deceive or cheat.” or cheat.”

millinermilliner- a maker - a maker of women’s hats of women’s hats and other items of and other items of clothing. clothing.

pauperpauper- someone - someone who is very poor, who is very poor, especially those especially those living on public living on public charity. charity.

Poor Law-Poor Law- The The Victorian answer to Victorian answer to poverty was enacted in poverty was enacted in 1834. Regional 1834. Regional workhouses were workhouses were created so the poor created so the poor could apply for relief. could apply for relief. However, the However, the workhouses denied civil workhouses denied civil liberties and seperated liberties and seperated families. As a result, families. As a result, the poor tried to avoid the poor tried to avoid this degrading solution. this degrading solution.

poultererpoulterer- a - a chicken retailer, chicken retailer, who usually sold who usually sold game, including game, including hares. hares.

prisonprison- - English English prisons were prisons were characteristically characteristically crude and sought crude and sought only to confine only to confine rather than correct rather than correct or reform. or reform.

ragamuffinragamuffin- a - a dirty, shabbily-dirty, shabbily-clothed child.clothed child.

Roger de Coverly-Roger de Coverly- One of the jolliest One of the jolliest of all English folk dances. This dance of all English folk dances. This dance is formed in sets of six or eight is formed in sets of six or eight couples, with the ladies in one line couples, with the ladies in one line and their partners opposite. It was and their partners opposite. It was the dance that was chosen to end the dance that was chosen to end the evening because its steps were the evening because its steps were simple enough that everyone would simple enough that everyone would participate. participate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RoGJ-cln9QRoGJ-cln9Q

scavengerscavenger- - someone who someone who collects things collects things others have others have discardeddiscarded

scoundrelscoundrel- - a a mean, worthless mean, worthless fellow; a villain; a fellow; a villain; a man without honor. man without honor.

treadmilltreadmill- - a a device invented in device invented in 1818 that consisted 1818 that consisted of a metal cylinder of a metal cylinder with steps built up with steps built up that revolved that revolved around one’s feet. around one’s feet. Similar to a Similar to a hamster’s cage. hamster’s cage. Convicts were Convicts were required to walk on required to walk on the treadmill six the treadmill six

hours at a time. hours at a time.

washhousewashhouse- - an an outbuilding for outbuilding for doing laundry. doing laundry.

wastrelwastrel- an idler - an idler or loafer, especially or loafer, especially one who wastes one who wastes money.money.

workhouseworkhouse- - publicly supported publicly supported institution to which institution to which the sick, destitute, the sick, destitute, aged, and aged, and impoverished went impoverished went for food and shelter for food and shelter in return for in return for manual labor. After manual labor. After 1834 they made 1834 they made them grim beyond them grim beyond belief so lazy belief so lazy people didn’t take people didn’t take advantage. advantage.

Discussion QuestionDiscussion Question

With a partner…With a partner…

Discuss how your life is different Discuss how your life is different from life in the Victorian age. Are from life in the Victorian age. Are there any similarities? there any similarities?

Predict what you think “A Christmas Predict what you think “A Christmas Carol” might be about.Carol” might be about.

Homework:Homework:

Review Narrative strategies for in Review Narrative strategies for in class essay tomorrow. class essay tomorrow.

Get a head start on RC for next Get a head start on RC for next Trimester! Trimester!

Narrative FormatNarrative Format

Creative Title! Creative Title! Intro: Hook (sensory detail or dialogue)Intro: Hook (sensory detail or dialogue) Set the scene/Introduce charactersSet the scene/Introduce characters Hint at the significanceHint at the significance Body Paragraphs: Expository (beginning)Body Paragraphs: Expository (beginning)Create a Create a cleaclear story! Rising Action (middle)r story! Rising Action (middle)

ClimaxClimax Falling actionFalling action Resolution (end) Resolution (end)

Narrative Format Narrative Format

Conclusion Paragraph: What is the Conclusion Paragraph: What is the result?result?

Importance. Importance.

6-10 lines of important dialogue.6-10 lines of important dialogue.SENSORY DETAILS!!!! Describe your SENSORY DETAILS!!!! Describe your

story, so the audience can see story, so the audience can see exactly what you imagine. exactly what you imagine.