Creative Writing: Victorian Era
Opening: Silent Writing (5 minutes)
Students receive the rule list. No explanation yet.
Prompt:
Read through the rules.
Circle one rule that surprises, annoys, or confuses you.
Then write for 3–4 minutes:
Why does this rule exist?
Who does it protect?
Who does it limit?
No sharing yet. Let discomfort simmer.
Whole-Class Discussion: What Rules Really Do (8 minutes)
Which rules feel harmless? Which feel controlling?
Who would struggle most under these rules?
Which rules are about morality vs appearance?
Which rules seem designed to prevent embarrassment? Desire? Conflict?
“Rules aren’t neutral. They decide who gets comfort, who gets silence, and who gets blamed.”
Mini Lesson: Constraint Creates Story (7 minutes)
Frame this as a writing technique, not history.
Explain:
Victorian rules created pressure
Pressure creates:
Secrets
Indirect language
Emotional compression
Tiny actions with huge consequences
Put on the board:
Victorian Writing Toolkit
Say less than you mean
Let objects speak
Let posture replace emotion
Let etiquette become the antagonist
Read a short model sentence (you can read it aloud without attribution):
“She adjusted her gloves twice before answering, which was how everyone knew the answer was no.”
Ask:
What rule is operating here?
What emotion is being hidden?
Why is this more interesting than saying it outright?
Main Writing Exercise: Choose Your Constraint (15–20 minutes)
Students choose one rule from the list and build a piece around it.
Writing Options (they pick one):
Option 1: The Almost-Scene
Write a scene where something important almost happens — but the rule prevents it.
Option 2: Polite on the Surface
Write dialogue where every sentence is polite, correct, and socially acceptable — but the real conflict lives underneath.
Option 3: Instruction with Cracks
Write a “How To Behave Properly” guide that slowly reveals resentment, fear, or rebellion.
Mandatory Constraints (these mirror your style well)
All students must follow at least two:
No character may name their emotion
No shouting, arguing, or dramatic gestures
The rule must influence the ending
Conflict must appear through manners, objects, timing, or silence
If it feels restrained, you’re doing it right.
The Victorian Era (1837–1901) was a time of strict social rules, formal manners, and expectations that governed nearly every aspect of daily life. To help navigate this complex social world, writers like Thomas E. Hill published detailed manuals outlining the proper behavior for ladies and gentlemen. https://www.almanac.com/victorian-era-etiquette-and-manners
Victorian Hygiene Etiquette: Bathing, Hair, and Skin Care
Bathing: “Upon arising, take a complete bath. A simple washing out of the eyes is not sufficient. The complete bathing of the body once each day is of the utmost importance. Not more than a quart of water is necessary, preferably rainwater.”
Hair: “The head should be washed occasionally with soap and water. When the hair is inclined to be harsh and dry, a moderate application of bear’s grease or other dressing should be used.”
Skin: “Beware of exterior applications of cosmetics. Instead, once every two or three months, take a teaspoonful of powdered charcoal mixed with sweetened water or milk. This will prove efficacious in making the complexion clear and transparent.”
Kissing: “Upon the meeting of intimate friends, among ladies, at the private house, the kiss as a mode of salutation is yet common; but this is a custom which ought to be abolished for physiological and other reasons.”
Social Manners and Etiquette in the Victorian Era
Bowing: “A gentleman should not bow from a window to a lady on the street, though he may bow slightly from the street upon being recognized by a lady in a window. Such recognition should, however, generally be avoided, as gossip is likely to attach undue importance to it when seen by others.”
Dignity: “To greet someone by saying ‘Hello, old fellow’ indicates ill-breeding. If you are approached in this vulgar manner, it is better to give a civil reply and address the person respectfully, in which case he is quite likely to be ashamed of his own conduct.”
Small talk: “No topic of absorbing interest may be admitted to polite conversation. It might lead to discussion.”
Train travel: “People with weak eyes should avoid reading on trains, and those with weak lungs should avoid talking.”
Card-playing: “If possible, do not violate the rules of the game and do not cheat. Should you observe anyone cheating, quietly and very politely call it to his attention, and be careful that you do not get excited. People who experience ill-feeling at the game should avoid playing.”
Proper Conduct for Ladies and Gentlemen
Conduct to avoid at the ball: “No gentleman should enter the ladies’ dressing room at a ball.”
Marriage: “Anyone with bright red hair and a florid complexion should marry someone with jet-black hair. The very corpulent should marry the thin and spare, and the body, wiry, cold-blooded should marry the round-featured, warmhearted, emotional type.”
Husbands: “Always leave home with a tender goodbye and loving words. They may be the last.”
Street etiquette: “When crossing the pavement, a lady should raise her dress with the right hand, a little about the ankle. To raise the dress with both hands is vulgar and can only be excused when mud is very deep.”
Edgar Allan Poe — The Fall of the House of Usher (1839)
“I looked upon the scene before me—upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain—upon the bleak walls—upon the vacant eye-like windows…”
Why it works:
Emotion is projected onto architecture
Nothing happens, yet dread builds
A classic example of environment replacing emotion
Charlotte Brontë — Jane Eyre (1847)
“I was not at ease: for when I looked up, and saw his eyes fastened on me, with that peculiar smile on his lips, I felt uneasy.”
Why it works:
Emotion is hinted, not named
Social propriety heightens tension instead of resolving it
Emily Brontë — Wuthering Heights (1847)
“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
Why it works:
Passion expressed without physical action
Feels transgressive precisely because of Victorian restraint
