Victorian Masculinity

Victorian Masculinity

During the long reign of Queen Victoria over the United Kingdom from 1837 to 1901, there were certain social expectations that the separate genders were expected to adhere to. The study of Victorian masculinity is based on the assumption that "the construction of male consciousness must be seen as historically specific." The concept of Victorian masculinity is a diverse one since it was influenced by numerous aspects and factors such as domesticity, economy, gender roles, imperialism, manners, religion, sporting competition, and much more. Some of these aspects seem to be quite naturally related to one another, while others seem profoundly non-relational. For the males, this included a vast amount of pride in their work, a protectiveness over their wives, and an aptitude for good social behaviour.

The concept of Victorian masculinity is a topic of interest in the context of Cultural Studies with a special emphasis on Gender studies. Historically, it is tied to the Victorian era in the United Kingdom. The topic is of much current interest in the areas of history, literary criticism, religious studies, and sociology. Those virtues that survived until today are of special interest to the researchers: the 'dominance of the Western male'.

The concept itself shifted about the mid of the 19th century from a focus on a desired achievement of Christian maturity to a focus on hardiness.

Read more about Victorian Masculinity:  Origins, Muscular Christianity, See Also

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