Victorian masculinity

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The concept of Victorian masculinity is a diverse one since it was influenced by numerous aspects and factors such as religion, domesticity and gender roles, Imperialism, economy, sporting competition, manners, and much more. Some of these aspects seem to be quite naturally related to one another, while others seem profoundly none-relational. 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 sociology, history, literary criticism, and religious studies. 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.

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[edit] The first half of the 19th century

With the start of the Industrial Revolution, British culture experienced a "separation of spheres" into the public and the private sphere. Also, the Christian religion was a substantial part of British culture. The time between 1830 and 1860 was, for the most part, a period of peace, and men did not feel threatened to be called to a life as soldiers, etc. The result of these historic preconditions was a concept of masculinity which was clearly defined by domesticity, although this is generally believed to be a female domain. Naturally, this male domesticity is seen as being an instance of traditional gender roles and being motivated and governed by Christian beliefs and values

[edit] Christianity and patriarchy

Christianity contributed much to the Victorian concept of masculinity. The real Victorian man was to be spiritual and a faithful believer. The Christian religion defined the status of the man within his home in terms of patriarchy, as Bible passages prove that were widely read as family prayers.

"Wives, submit yourselves to your own husband, as it is fit in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives and be not bitter against them.
Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well onto pleasing the Lord."[1]

Hence, the husband and father was considered to be the pater familias with extensive power. He was the head of the household, but his duty was not only to rule, but also to protect (the weak - wife and children).

[edit] The joys of domesticity

Early in the 19th century, domesticity was at the core of the concept of masculinity. Neither did men exclusively consider a wife and children as necessary components of his masculine status nor did they see their homes as property only. The home was for the Victorian man the place that satisfied his deepest needs. It meant a profound attachment in an emotional as well as in a physical sense. It provided privacy and comfort and it meant separation from the workplace, which places the concept of home into direct contrast to the public sphere. But contrary to the wide-spread opinion that the home was merely a female sphere, Victorian males were indeed active in the private sphere as well: they operated in both spheres.

[edit] Work and the public sphere

Like in the private sphere, men of the Victorian era were equally active in the public sphere (in contrast to women). Work was crucial in order to achieve a fully masculine status. This was especially true for the middle-class man; male members of the aristocracy were seen as idle because they generally did not work. By being active in enterprise, men fulfilled their duty as breadwinners in the sense that they had to provide for their family. Since home and work were perceived as very separate spheres, working at home was a delicate matter, for example for writers, who had to fear their masculine status being threatened. Besides work, Victorian men were also active in the public sphere of clubs and taverns, indulging in homosociality.

[edit] The second half of the 19th century

With the beginning of the second half of the 19th century the picture of the ideal of manliness started to shift. Due to publications such as Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species (1859) and Friedrich Nietzsche saying "God is dead!" (1882) the main focus in the concept of masculinity shifted from a spiritual focus on religion towards a commitment to muscle: 'muscular Christianity' was created. At the same time male domesticity decreased.

[edit] Sports and readiness for physical combat

The development towards a focus on muscle manifested itself in the belief that in order to educate one's mind one has to educate one's body. This assumption has its roots in the rise of natural science and especially biology. Thus, a fascination with health lead to a sports and playing games mania, which was primarily acted out through the public school system for boys. The athlete was the new hero of society. This, according to E.M. Forster, then led to "well-developed bodies, fairly developed minds, and undeveloped hearts"[2]. Another reason for such drillings was that by the end of the 19th century the British Empire was perceived to be in danger and athletic public school boys made good recruits.

[edit] Imperialism

In the second half of the 19th century the ideal of Victorian manliness became increasingly defined by imperialism because the subordination of non-western cultures was on its heyday in Britain. Thus, part of the concept of masculinity became military and patriotic virtue, which defined the ideal man as courageous and enduring like hunters, adventurers, and pioneers, all of whom being profoundly self-sufficient, independent, and having broad scientific knowledge. This orientation towards hardiness and endurance was reflected by a change in clothing as well: rich colors and materials were banned in favor of dark colors, straight cuts and stiff materials.

[edit] The 19th century gentleman

The overall concept of masculinity, which is not as timed as the concepts described above, is the underlying aspect of gentlemanliness. A Victorian gentleman was in theory defined by spiritual propriety, but in reality wealth was also crucial. Apart from that, education, manners and refined speech made the man a gentleman. Crucial were also the chivalric ideals, in the sense that a gentleman had to ensure the ceremony between the sexes, but aristocratic ancestry was no longer needed to define the 19th century gentleman.

[edit] Reflections of Victorian masculinity in literature

It is only natural that cultural concepts are mirrored in the literature of their time. An example for the reflection of Victorian concepts of masculinity are Robert Michael Ballantyne's writings. He himself went abroad to Canada, got engaged in fur trade, and returned home as a true pioneer, hunter and adventurer. He held lectures on his adventures abroad and wrote literature for a juvenile readership presenting true Victorian role models for boys. This becomes especially obvious in his novel The Coral Island (1857): the three protagonists Ralph Rover, Jack Martin, and Peterkin Gay all represent certain masculine features according to the concept of Victorian masculinity, such as chivalry and gentlemanliness, the mastery of sports, hunting, religious belief, etc.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ The Bible (Col. 3, 18-22)
  2. ^ E.M.Forster, On British Public School Boys

[edit] References

  • Gilmore, David D. (1991). Mythos Mann. Rollen, Rituale, Leitbilder. München: Artemis & Winkler.
  • Danahay, Martin (2005). Gender at Work in Victorian culture. Aldershot: Ashgate.
  • Davidoff, Leonore & Catherine Hall (1988). Family fortunes: men and women of the English middle class ; 1780 – 1850. London: Hutchinson.
  • Mangan, J.A. & James Malvin. eds. (1987). Manliness and Morality. Middle-class Masculinity in Britain and America, 1800-1940. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
  • Tosh, John (1999). A Man’s Place. Masculinity in the Middle-Class Home in Victorian England. New Haven: Yale University Press.

[edit] External links