Edwardian period
The
Edwardian period or
Edwardian era in the
United Kingdom is the period
1901 to
1910, the reign of
King Edward VII. It succeeded the
Victorian period and is sometimes extended to include the period up to the sinking of the
RMS Titanic in
1912, the start of
World War I in
1914, or even the end of the war in
1918.
Perhaps because of the King's fondness for travel, the period was marked by an enthusiasm for the art and fashions of continental Europe.
Socially, the Edwardian era was the period during which the British
class system was at its most rigid, although paradoxically, changes in social thought, particularly the rising interest in
socialism, attention to the plight of the poor and the status of women, expressed in, for example, the issue of
women's suffrage, together with increased economic opportunities as a result of rapid industrialisation, created an environment in which there could be more social mobility and people would become more liberal. This change would be hastened in the aftermath of the first World War.
The
upper classes embraced
leisure sports, which led to rapid developments in
fashion, as more mobile and flexible
clothing styles were needed. The
corset was modified; its everyday wearing was gradually abandoned.
The Edwardian Period was also known as the
Belle Epoque - meaning beautiful era.
Art Nouveau was a huge influence during this time on the whole of everyday life. Art has never dominated the aesthetics of an era so thoroughly as it did during this time. Despite the relatively short duration of the period, it is characterized by its own unique architectural style, fashion of dress, and even way of life. In the United States, the Edwardian Period is deemed to be followed by the
Arts and Crafts Period in design and art.
Theatre
The theatre during the Edwardian Period is marked by the rise of the New Drama, or plays by
George Bernard Shaw,
Harley Granville Barker, and Continental imports by
Henrik Ibsen and
Gerhardt Hauptmann; the decline of the actor/manager system as headed by
Sir Henry Irving,
Sir George Alexander, and
Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, which ended effectively with the start of
World War I; and the continued popularity of
music hall performance.
Literature
In fiction, some of the best-known names are
H.G. Wells,
John Galsworthy,
Arnold Bennett,
Joseph Conrad,
E.M. Forster and
P.G. Wodehouse. Apart from these famous writers, this was a period when an enormous amount of novels and short stories were being published and consumed, and a significant distinction between
highbrow literature and
popular fiction was emerging. Among the most famous works of literary criticism was
A.C. Bradley's
Shakespearean Tragedy (
1904).
*
1902: End of
Second Boer War in
South Africa.
*
1908:
Olympics held in
London.
*
1909:
Louis Blériot crosses
English Channel by air.
*
1910: Creation of
Union of South Africa.
*
1912: Sinking of the
RMS Titanic.
*
1914: Start of
World War I.
(See also Britain in World War I.)*
1915: Failed British invasion of
Gallipoli.
*
1916:
Battle of the Somme.
*
1917:
United States enters World War I.
*
1918: End of World War I.
Influenza pandemic.
