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| The '''Victorian Era''' of Britain is considered the height of the ] in Britain and the apex of the ]. It is often defined as the years from ] to ] when ] reigned. | |||
| Notable elements of the Victorian era include: | |||
| * The novels of ], Sir ], ], ] and ] | |||
| * The operettas of ] | |||
| * The constructions of ] | |||
| * The ] | |||
| * The policies of ] | |||
| The Victorian period is now regarded as one of many contradictions. The term "Victorian" has acquired a range of connotations, including that of a particularly strict set of moral standards, often applied hypocritically. This stems from the impression that Queen Victoria herself (and her husband, Prince Albert, perhaps even more so) was an innocent, unaware of the private habits of many of her respectable subjects - this particularly relates to their sex lives. This impression is far from the truth. Victoria's attitude to sexual morality actually sprang from her knowledge of the corrosive effect which the loose morals of the aristocracy in earlier reigns had had on the public's respect for the nobility and the Crown. | |||
| During the Victorian era, an outward appearance of dignity and restraint tended to be cultivated, whilst ] was rife, and ] and the exploitation of the ]es and the colonies were essential to the British ]. | |||
| The expression, "Victorian values", is thus two-edged. | |||