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Another great resource I found in my research that provides further detail into the scientific discoveries and inventions uncovered during the Victorian era.

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Queen Victoria was the British monarch from 1837 to 1901. This period, referred to as the Victorian era, was a time of rapid scientific progress both in Britain and elsewhere. For the first time, science was seen as a profession in its own right; the very term "scientist" was a Victorian invention, originally proposed by William Whewell in 1840. Major discoveries were made during Victorian times in all branches of science, including physics, astronomy, natural history and medicine.

Electromagnetic Waves

In the 1860s, the Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell produced a set of equations that consolidated everything that was known at the time about electricity and magnetism. He went on to discover a theoretical solution of the equations that took the form of a wave traveling at the speed of light. This suggested that light itself was an electromagnetic wave, and that other such waves might be created using electromagnetic equipment. This was confirmed experimentally when the German Heinrich Hertz produced the first artificial radio waves in 1887.

The Planet Neptune

In much the same way that electromagnetic waves were "discovered" on paper before they were observed in the laboratory, the planet Neptune was the first astronomical body to be predicted by theoretical calculations before it was seen through a telescope. The calculations, based on anomalies in the orbit of Uranus, were first carried out in 1843 by a young Englishman, John Couch Adams, and independently duplicated by the French astronomer Urbain-Jean-Joseph Leverrier soon afterward. The calculations pinpointed the new planet's location with high precision, and Neptune was duly discovered by astronomers at the Berlin Observatory in 1846.

Dinosaurs

Paleontology, or the study of fossils, was still a young science at the start of Victorian times, and the idea that fossils were the remains of species extinct for millions of years was only gradually taking hold. The term "dinosaur," meaning "terrible lizard," was coined in 1842 by the British paleontologist Richard Owen, who went on to produce the first life-size reconstructions of dinosaurs based on the evidence of their skeletons. The Victorian era saw the rise of the first great dinosaur hunters, including the legendary American rivals Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope.

Germ Theory of Disease

One of the most far-reaching scientific discoveries of Victorian times is something we now take for granted: that certain diseases are caused by microorganisms invading the body. A major breakthrough was made in the 1850s by a physician named John Snow, who carefully tracked a cholera outbreak in London to a contaminated water supply. A few years later the germ theory of disease, as it became known, was put on a firmer footing by the French chemist Louis Pasteur. Based on Pasteur's ideas, the British surgeon Joseph Lister pioneered the use of antiseptics, leading to a vast improvement in hospital hygiene.

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Scientific Discoveries in Victorian Times | Synonym

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Queen Victoria was the British monarch from 1837 to 1901. This period, referred to as the Victorian era, was a time of rapid scientific progress both in Britain and elsewhere. For the first time, science was seen as a profession in its own right; the very term "scientist" was a Victorian invention, originally proposed by William Whewell in 1840.

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A newspaper cartoon depicting Charles Darwin's likeness to apes.

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This website was thorough and articulate in distinguishing the gender roles throughout the 19th century and I would strongly recommend reading it. (With an informative resource as rich as this, you may too, devour the article in mere minutes.)

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The Victorian era, for the first time, saw individuals and organisations challenge traditional powers throughout not only England, but the world. Most famously, Charles Darwin published his theory of evolution which was received with mixed reactions by the English public. The idea of a logical concept existing in defiance of accepted cultural norms was scandalous and somewhat alluring to excitement-deprived citizens who found sense in these revolutionary proposals. Other groundbreaking discoveries such as the germ theory of disease established the foundations of modern medicine and contributed greatly to improved sanitation of workplaces and streets. In the scope of archaeology, palaeontology became an accepted profession with discoveries of dinosaurs and ancient fossils expanding the worldview of many and providing further justification towards Darwin's proposal. The field of astrology expanded with flat earth society members living in scorn whilst new planets (such as neptune) contribute to the expansion of the solar system and more advanced telescopes allowing for greater accuracy in astrological measurement. The Victorian era, largely supported by the Industrial revolution adopted an atmosphere of discovery which spurred an environment of change. Some say that this time historically, was truly the initiation of the Modern World.

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During my research for this assignment, I was surprised to discover that  the United Kingdom is not a secular state with the Church of England having legislative rights and political influence, despite the ever-declining Christian population. This might sound ludicrous yet this is only a shadow of the power that the church previously  possessed over society. Throughout the Victorian era, England preserved its historically Christian roots with Anglican/Protestant worshippers residing in powerful positions amongst the Church of England. Small reforms, were however observable as a large percentage of the population turned to other denominations such as Baptist, Methodist and Quakers. It is in the 19th century, when for the first time, culture experienced a stronger dose of religious influence than society itself. Iconic people such as Charles Darwin and other evolutionists planted doubt in the minds of adherents and for the first time, prominent figures declined any involvement with the church. This did not curb the church's influence over culture and literature with non-religious figures still being painted as immoral and shameful and all mediums lay heavy with biblical allusions - including the works of Browning (who was not a strongly religious man). Once again, gender expectations become prevalent as it became increasingly acceptable for men to denounce their religious inclinations however women were pressured to uphold the scriptures to remain pure and delicate. Double standards much.

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Contrary to eras gone by, the Industrial Revolution in Victorian England provided a glimmer of hope for the empowerment and opportunities for women. With a technological boom, a greater workforce was required to sustain England's radically inflating economy meaning that many working and middle class women received employment in factories and other menial positions that extracted them from the household, seeming to contrast previous expectations. There was still a large gender norm of women as pure and elegant with the understanding that they would be meek and subservient in both the workplace and at home. Browning frequently challenged the perception of women within society to express a more progressive perspective and halt the objectification of women by fathers and husbands. All of this optimism was, however, largely in vain as every aspect of Victorian society seemed to work towards repressing women (despite a powerful female monarch). Even fashion steered women away from seizing education and occupation with impractical bell skirts accumulating popularity. Femininity was stressed as a blessing and any woman who attended school was trained in music, singing and language as opposed to mathematics and commerce. These lessons were taught in the ultimate agenda that similar skills would translate into domestic life to perpetuate the cycle of unequipped women. Sexuality was to be repressed and women were to handle themselves with poise and grace with those who defied the expectations facing shame, humiliation and disownment.

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Queen Victoria brought about largely negative reform to the class system which saw the tightening of bolts that ensured certain people would maintain power and others would experience repression. Browning systematically challenged this throughout his career which empowered many whom his poems reached, potentially instigating many rising movements that would soon take effect domestically and globally. Explicitly, the class system comprised of Nobility who possessed near autocratic power and all who had a direct line to the throne. These people where capable of influencing the economy, foreign diplomacy and living conditions for all with unrivalled wealth and privilege. This was followed by the upper class consisting of aristocrats, successful doctors and lawyers and early entrepreneurs. The upper class also included families who has capitalised off the early wealth to be had in the industrial revolution with company and factory owners achieving large scale finance. Those in the upper class exclusively had access to education and healthcare facilities. The industrial revolution saw increased prosperity in the middle class as employment opportunities arose with great expansion seeing England's economy boom. The Victorian era posed serious adversity to the quality of life for the working class as they were largely exploited by business tycoons and forced into difficult labour for little to no financial gain. The development of Metropolis' in Manchester, Liverpool and London created urban slums for the working class that were rife with disease and hunger. It was near impossible to shift position between the classes and any social activity that involved people from another class was shunned. These strict systems would soon undergo drastic change in the 20th century yet greatly impacted social dynamics during the height of Robert Browning's illustrious career.

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Born 7th May 1812 in Camberwell, London Browning received an unconventional upbringing visible in his families extraordinary book collection that piqued his infatuation with literature from an early age. He was not the child of aristocrats yet was financially secure and his parents continued to provide monetary assistance as he embarked on what would be a prolific poetry career. His family had left-leaning political assertions with his father openly opposing slavery and supporting both Browning and his sister. Browning used his poems as a platform to present envelope-pushing notions of inequity, justice and defiance which have been heralded long after his death. Browning grappled with the concept of Christianity throughout his life, raised in a non-denomination evangelical household, with his challenging of the church's power and religious notations throughout his poetry depicting this seesawing of beliefs.