Name of 'Victorian Times' in other countries

by [deleted]

I was cleaning a work lab coat in the sink the other day (we use dodgy chemicals and I haven't arranged for a cleaning service to do it quite yet) and thought to myself, "I feel like a Victorian house wife right now"

I thought I'd tell my colleague about my thought but it occurred to me that since she was Polish she may not call the 1800s 'Victorian times'.

I was wondering what do they call the 1800s in other countries (specifically Poland I guess)? (Not including ex-British Empire countries who I assume also use Victorian times? )

My question could be extended to the whole of History in which I (a Brit) name after the monarch reigning at the time (eg Tudor, Georgian, Victorian).

Do countries with a history of monarchs ruling name them after their monarchs?

What about countries without Monarchs?

Back to the Victorian times, is the non-country-specific-historically-politically-correct term the "Industrial Revolution" ?- do they use this in other countries?

Thanks for you time.

Noble_Devil_Boruta

The term 'Victorian Age' (epoka wiktoriaƄska) is commonly used in Poland and it has the same meaning as in English. Sometimes it is 'epoch' or 'period' but the general meaning is perfectly understood by all people who actually know the term, and given its popularity due to the size of the popular culture works created at that time and later works set in this period, it can be said that this is the period of British history best known abroad, at least by name. Other chronological periods, such as Edwardian or Georgian Age is also known under that name, although they are less commonly referenced and thus might not be as easily mapped to a specific time period as Victorian Age.

Now, it should be stressed, that such designations are not chronological or, rather, are not only so, as they merge chronological and territorial bounds. In other words, there was no such thing as 'Victorian Age' in Germany, China or Poland, as this was a period of English and only English history. Of course, one could ask 'what happened in Greece in the Victorian Age' and this question will be more or less understood, but from the logical standpoint, it makes as much sense as asking about the political landscape of Ming France or, using the example of Poland again, the England after the January Uprising. On a side note, this is quite common issue in the discussion concerning Middle Ages, which term is hardly applicable to any region outside Europe, as it covers two intrinsically European events - dissolution of Western Roman Empire and capture of Constantinople by Ottomans or discovery of Americas by European powers, depending on your preferred cesure. These events bore little to no direct impact on other regions, where history has been shaped by other occurrences, hence the chronological division of history of e.g. China or Persia by ruling dynasties. Such differences are usually resolved by the usage of simple time count (again, not universal on a global scale, but widespread and understood enough), so instead of wondering how the term 'Victorian Age' applies to a given region a history of which one doesn't known, it can be generally said 'second half of 19th century'.

If you wanted to refer a specific period in the history of the country, you need to know the history or rather historiography of relevant area, as each country has its peculiarities. Reference to a specific monarch or characteristic period are common, but again, when in doubt, use the generic time count. When it comes to expression, such as 'Victorian housewife' should be also easily understood as they are most commonly used precisely because they were widely popularized by cultural works.

The term 'Industrial Revolution', although, again, was more or less tied to the history of Western Europe, is in common use around the continent due to quick proliferation of the modern industries. Unless the area is specifically mentioned, the chronological boundaries might be somewhat vague (e.g. someone from England or France might associate it with late early 19th century, while a Russian might think of the later part of that century), but the idea is commonly understood. Of course, nuances, such as the differences between the First and Second Industrial Revolution might come into play, but these are usually reserved for professional historians or serious amateurs who pay attention to such distinctions). One should be wary though when using such terms in reference to other regions, as the situation might have looked differently there. For example, the term 'Industrial Revolution' used in Japan might be understood as a reference to history of England or generally 'the West' as in Japan, the corresponding changes are usually chalked up to the Meiji period.

A practical hint: you might always use a Wikipedia and look up the names in other languages. Even if you do not know the latter, it can be easily seen, if they bear a resemblance to the English term. Of course, this should not be used for any serious research, but for causal conversation is more than enough.