The Victorian era (1830-1901), named after Queen Victoria, covers the entirety of her reign over the British Empire from 1837 to 1901. Queen Victoria can be described as having great moral responsibility, domestic propriety, and earnestness as the idea of living in an earnest manner was considered one of the topmost ideals during the Victorian age. The citizens of the British Empire mirrored these three key characteristics of the Victorian age in order to embody Queen Victoria. The Mid-Victorian period, lasting from 1848 to 1870, was a time of prosperity for the middle to upper-class Victorians. The primary characterization of the Victorian period lies in the developments of the social and political sectors of Victorian society. In addition, influential writers of the nineteenth century like Charles Dickens wrote books, such as Great Expectations and A Christmas Carol that were rather critical of Victorian society. Victorian women did not have political suffrage despite the efforts of feminists to try to petition parliament. However, the Married Women Property Acts were laws that
were enacted that allowed women to be able to divorce their husbands in instances of incest and bestiality. Furthermore, The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act of 1857 moved divorce to civil court, allowing for the deserted wife to apply for a protective order to grant her access to her own property. By 1901, women were able to earn degrees from twelve universities; however, they were able to study at Oxford and Cambridge but not earn a degree. The lives of lower-class women were strenuous inside and outside the home due to the fact that they had constant pressure from the industrialized society, the grueling industrial jobs did not pay well, and the majority of them were still servants. Although Victorian women were not granted the same social and political privileges as their male counterparts, it is evident that they were definitely moving towards establishing their presence as women. Through the book, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Dickens showcases the existing Victorian views of women and feminism through the characterization of women in his writing during his time.