According to Hughes, it was this time that traditional gender roles actually became more 'traditional' and sharply defined - before the 1830s, women often worked alongside their husbands, but as time went on and men began commuting to their place of work, women were left alone to tend to the home. This, coupled with the beginning of crinolines (those huge bell-shaped skirts), now restrained women from doing any work and cemented them at home.

Women were seen as physically inferior but morally superior to men. Their job was to "counterbalance the moral 🤬 of the public sphere in which their husbands laboured all day, they were also preparing the next generation to carry on this way of life. The fact that women had such great influence at home was used as an argument against giving them the vote." --> this was known as the ideology of the Separate Spheres.

Fun fact!! During this time, middle class girls and those of above classes would attract men not with their domestic ability, but with their 'accomplishments', like ability to sing, paint, dance, etc. This can be seen in Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice too!

Another fun fact: There was a term for girls who were too dedicated to intellectual pursuits - they were called 'blue stockings', and no one wanted to be one :(

Look at memoraable quotes for more fun facts :)

By the end of the Victorian Era, the Church of England was increasingly only one part of a vibrant often competitive religious culture, with non-Anglican Protestants. Throughout the 19th century, England was a Christian country, the only other religion that existed during that time was Judaism. The number of Jews have increased from 60,000 in 1880 to 300,000 by 1914 due to the migrants that were escaping persecution in Russia and Eastern Europe. As the verities of religion kept on increasing, so does the amount of disagreements. In the midst of the 19th century, the amount of clergy have increased from 14,500 in 1841 to 24,000 in 1875. The increase of clergyman have impacted on the different ways of beliefs and practices that were taught by these clergies. The 19th century is also the period of time where numerous public figures declared that they have no religion or belief. It was a period of time where doubt and faith in religion have increased. Intellectuals and writer were rejecting the teachings of christianity altogether.
“Victorians: Religion.” English Heritage, www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/victorian/religion/.

On one level, this exchange merely continues the long-running marriage gag, which treats the whole Victorian notion of “married bliss” with a kind of gallows humor. However, it also initiates the play’s darker subtext. What Algernon suggests is that all husbands in Victorian society lead double lives. In Wilde’s view, Jack’s refusal to acknowledge that he is “a Bunburyist” is what differentiates him from Algernon from a purely moral perspective. 

If a young man was particularly pious he might manage to stay chaste until he married. Many respectable young men, however, resorted to using prostitutes.
But the young and not-so-young women had no choice but to stay chaste until marriage. They were not allowed to speak to men unless there was a chaperone present. Higher education or professional work was also out of the question for women. These emotional frustrations could lead to all sorts of covert rebellion. 

“Arguments are to be avoided; they are always vulgar and often convincing.”

“I choose my friends for their good looks, my acquaintances for their good characters, and my enemies for their good intellects. A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies.”

“ Don't be misled into the paths of virtue.”

“Women never have anything to say, but they say it charmingly.”

“There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating- people who know absolutely everything and people that know absolutely nothing.”