Key Concepts in Victorian Studies

Provides a uniquely detailed and accessible insight into the terminology and culture of the Victorian period Surveys not merely the reign of Queen Victoria but its antecedents in the long nineteenth century Includes illustrations derived wholly from Victorian sources Offers a crucial resource for overseas students and readers unfamiliar with the culture of the nineteenth century Key Concepts in Victorian Studies is a comprehensive and accessible resource for students of the long nineteenth century. The volume is divided into a number of cross-referenced sections which address the preoccupations and historical events of this crucial period in recent history and culture. Central to the book's function as a durable reference work is an extensive A-Z glossary which clarifies Victorian terminology and explains key historical and political events. This is supplemented with a chronology listing significant domestic, imperial and international events from 1837 to 1901; a tabulation of British Prime Ministers in office during Queen Victoria's reign; a succinct but detailed survey of the most important acts of Parliament in the period; an explanation of pre-decimal British coinage; and a useful chart which converts imperial measurement into their metric equivalents. This book is an essential reference for scholars of Victorian literature and history from undergraduate to postgraduate level.