A Christmas Carol Context
- Created by: patd120487
- Created on: 12-10-19 08:46
View mindmap
- A Christmas Carol Context
- Poverty in Victorian Britain
- The Industrial Revolution made many businessman and factory owners very rich.
- It also created huge numbers of jobs however the factory workers often lived in extreme poverty.
- Many cities had terrible living conditions.
- Most of these migrants ended up living in slums of cheap, overcrowded housing.
- No proper drainage or sewage systems.
- Most of these migrants ended up living in slums of cheap, overcrowded housing.
- Dickens had to work in a blacking factory as a child after his father was sent to debtors prison.
- The Industrial Revolution made many businessman and factory owners very rich.
- Malthus and the 1834 Poor Law
- Malthus argued that poverty was inevitable.
- In 1798, he wrote that human population would always grow faster than food supplies.
- This would mean that overpopulation would lead to many people, usually the poor, dying due to famine.
- He argued that people should have families later in life and not have lots of children.
- In 1798, he wrote that human population would always grow faster than food supplies.
- Some people thought that helping the poor made poverty worse.
- In 1834 a new Poor Law was introduced to REDUCE the financial help available to the poor.
- It ruled that all unemployed people would have to enter a workhouse to receive food and shelter.
- Workhouses were very harsh:
- Inhabitants had to work very hard.
- Families were often split up.
- Conditions were deliberately unpleasant to discourage the poor from relying on society for help.
- Many people lived in fear of being forced to enter a workhouse.
- Workhouses were very harsh:
- In A Christmas Carol Dickens attacks what he saw as an uncaring attitude towards the poor.
- It ruled that all unemployed people would have to enter a workhouse to receive food and shelter.
- Malthus, and others, thought that the existing poor laws were too charitable.
- They argued that poverty relief encouraged laziness and reduced the incentive to work hard.
- In 1834 a new Poor Law was introduced to REDUCE the financial help available to the poor.
- Malthus argued that poverty was inevitable.
- Charity and Education
- Dickens highlighted the importance of generosity and charity.
- The industrial revolution created a massive gap between rich and poor.
- Many of those in extreme poverty relied on the generosity of those better off than them.
- Some philanthropist businessmen were keen to enhance the lives of their workers.
- Philanthropist - someone who tries to help others by performing charitable acts
- Some philanthropist businessmen were keen to enhance the lives of their workers.
- Many other wealthy people were only concerned with gaining more wealth.
- Dickens thought that the wealthy had a responsibility to help those less fortunate than themselves.
- Many of those in extreme poverty relied on the generosity of those better off than them.
- The industrial revolution created a massive gap between rich and poor.
- Dickens highlighted the importance of generosity and charity.
- Religion and Christmas
- Victorian society was very religious.
- Christianity had a strong influence on many areas of everyday life, especially the middle and upper classes.
- To be good Christians, people believed they should live by a strict moral code:
- Attending church regularly.
- Avoiding alcohol.
- Exercising sexual restraint.
- It was very common to spend Sunday going to church and resting - Dickens was opposed to this because it meant that working poorer people were denied enjoyment on their one day off as everything was shut.
- Many poorer people didn't have ovens at home and had their food cooked by bakers. This meant that many people couldn't get a hot meal on Sundays as the bakers were shut.
- To be good Christians, people believed they should live by a strict moral code:
- Christianity had a strong influence on many areas of everyday life, especially the middle and upper classes.
- Christmas became more important.
- At the start of the 19th century Christmas was hardly celebrated.
- By the end of the 19th century it was the most important celebration of the year.
- At the start of the 19th century Christmas was hardly celebrated.
- Victorian society was very religious.
- Poverty in Victorian Britain
- Children often suffered the most in these conditions.
- They were exploited by wealth factory workers and had to work long hours in dangerous conditions.
- Many cities had terrible living conditions.
- Most of these migrants ended up living in slums of cheap, overcrowded housing.
- No proper drainage or sewage systems.
- Most of these migrants ended up living in slums of cheap, overcrowded housing.
- Dickens disagreed with Malthus and thought that there was plenty of food to go around if the rich were more generous.
- He thought it was wrong that the poor should suffer because the rich were too selfish to share their wealth.
- Malthus argued that poverty was inevitable.
- In 1798, he wrote that human population would always grow faster than food supplies.
- This would mean that overpopulation would lead to many people, usually the poor, dying due to famine.
- He argued that people should have families later in life and not have lots of children.
- In 1798, he wrote that human population would always grow faster than food supplies.
Comments
No comments have yet been made