Health and Mortality Rates, as well as Lifespans, in the Victorian Age
In-Depth Analysis: Victorian-Era Attitudes Toward Death
The Victorian era, stretching from the late 18th to the early 20th century, displayed a peculiar and layered relationship with death, as manifested in its art, literature, and funeral rituals.
Artistic Representations and Literary Themes
The era saw the development of several artistic motifs revolving around mourning and remembrance, such as lockets containing strands of the deceased's hair or black veils, symbolizing the enduring bond between the living and the departed.[1] Literature likewise dealt extensively with themes of mortality and the hereafter, with authors like Charles Dickens exploring the intricacies of death and its consequences.
Romanticism also permeated the Victorian perspective on death, often depicting it as a smooth transition to a tranquil afterlife.[2] Poets such as Alfred, Lord Tennyson, frequently wrote about death with a melancholic longing. The Gothic Revival architecture and art movement also played a role in shaping the representational style of death, with a focus on the mysterious and the supernatural.[4]
Funeral Rituals and Customs
Victorian death practices ranged from elaborate mourning wardrobes, consisting of black veils and "widow's weeds," to a proscribed mourning period complete with distinct stages of grief.[1] Families often held cemetery picnics, treating graveyards as "memorial gardens" for contemplation and remembrance.[5] The integration of death into daily life was evident in practices such as setting up the deceased in armchairs or hosting feasts near the body.[5]
Social Impact
These customs served as a coping mechanism for high mortality rates, transforming death from a taboo subject to an accepted aspect of life.[4][5] Queen Victoria's prolonged mourning following the death of her husband, Prince Albert, significantly influenced wider societal norms regarding grief and mourning.[2]
Influence of Art and Society
Today, the Victorian era continues to shape modern attitudes toward death, as seen in the annual remembrance ceremonies marking the end of World War I and the increasing popularity of cremation, which found roots during this time as burial rituals seemed to lose their significance amidst anonymous battlefield deaths.[3]
Sources:
- Victorian Mourning & Memorial Practices
- Queen Victoria's Mourning Period
- Cremation in Victorian Britain
- Victorian Gothic Revival
- Cemeteries as Memorial Gardens
In the realm of trading and advancement during the Victorian era, there was a notable growth in understanding and exploration of medical-conditions and health-and-wellness, possibly providing insight into the era's artistic themes and literary works, as science began to play a significant role in shaping perceptions of life and death. For instance, scientific discoveries in health-and-wellness may have influenced the depiction of death in artistic motifs or poetry, painting a softer or more hopeful picture than the gloom and supernatural associated with the Gothic Revival movement. Moreover, the progress in medical science and understanding of medical-conditions may have led to a shift in focus from the mysticism surrounding death to a more rational and scientific approach, potentially affecting the overall Victorian-era attitudes toward death and the afterlife.
