Topic > Senior Paper - 2053

If someone were asked to describe a woman of the Victorian age, chances are they would describe the woman as someone whose sole purpose was to cook, clean, and raise children. This general assumption sums up the lives of many women who lived during the Victorian age. Middle-class Victorian women were not as privileged as 21st-century women; they were expected to become obedient housewives who had no opinions of their own. Although they were typically very submissive in their actions, many women began to desire the ability to make their own decisions. Many successful women emerged during the Victorian age despite the restrictions placed on their lives. These women helped shape the era into what is known as today. The Victorian age is famous for introducing some of the most important women of the 19th century and for the ridiculous underestimation of women, which helped create the framework for a feminist movement across Britain after the era ended. Of all the influential women from the Victorian age, Queen Victoria is easily considered one of the most significant. Having the era named after her, Queen Victoria was one of the most illustrious leaders Britain has ever had. Alexandrina Victoria was born on May 24, 1819 in London. Her father died shortly after her birth, making her the heir to the throne. She had three uncles who were ahead of her in the line of succession, and none of them had living legitimate children. After the death of her only remaining uncle in 1837, Victoria was crowned on 28 June 1838. She was only eighteen years old. Queen Victoria's reign lasted until her death in 1901. Her reign lasted 64 years, the longest in British history. Queen Vi......middle of paper......(Wojtczak, n.d.). Thus, it is evident that women of the Victorian age lived very differently than women of the 21st century. It is difficult to imagine that about a century and a half ago things that are now considered basic human rights were denied to Victorian women. Some of the most famous women of the Victorian age accomplished things that allowed women to advance in areas such as leadership, literature, and medicine. Queen Victoria paved the way for women leaders of the future, Christina Rosetti's writings made her one of the greatest writers of the 19th century, and Florence Nightingale's contributions during the Crimean War helped establish the modern nursing profession. Modern Britain would have been greatly changed without these three important women. These influential women help embody everything the Victorian age is known for.