Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Architecture is a complex concept, and as such many factors contribute to its creation. These factors include geographical, economical and climatological aspects, but above all architecture is formed by the specific times, circumstances and lifestyle of the creator. The human being, with his background, ideas and values, shapes and influences the architecture surrounding him, and is also shaped and influenced by it. Therefore, when the lives and opinions of people are radically changed, it follows inevitably that their way of architectural expression will also change. There are marked differences between domestic buildings erected during the Victorian period in England and South Africa. English domestic buildings consist of long uniform terraced rows of two or more storeys, while freestanding single-storeyed houses are the norm in South Africa. A large percentage of English buildings are built with unfinished bricks (sometimes stone), while the bulk of South African buildings are finished in plaster. The general roofing material for Victorian houses in South Africa, namely corrugated iron, are not used on English houses at all. English roofs are most often covered in slate tiles. The very elaborate wood and/or cast-iron decorative elements so typical of the Victorian style in South Africa are largely absent in England, and most English buildings also do not have an architectural element comparable to the South African veranda. All styles which occurred in England during the Victorian period are termed Victorian, but in all cases it refers to the period, not the style. Although in South Africa other styles from the Victorian period are sometimes also referred to as Victorian, a clearly distinguishable style with unique characteristics developed at the end of the nineteenth century in South Africa. This style came to be known as Victorian. This study investigates the underlying reasons for the differences which exist between the Victorian architecture of England and South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Argitektuur berus op 'n komplekse basis, en as sodanig is daar talle faktore wat tot die skepping daarvan aanleiding gee. Hierdie faktore sluit onder meer in geografiese, ekonomiese en klimatologiese aspekte, maar bowenal word die argitektuur geskep deur die spesifieke tydsgees, agtergrond en leefstyl van die skepper daarvan. Die mens, met inbegrip van sy agtergrond, idees en waardes, vorm en beïnvloed die argitektuur wat hom omring, en word self ook daardeur gevorm en beïnvloed. Wanneer die lewens en sienings van mense dus verander, volg dit vanselfsprekend dat hulle argitektoniese uitdrukkingsvorme ook sal verander. Woonhuise wat tydens die Victoriaanse periode in Suid-Afrika opgerig is, verskil opvallend van dié in Engeland. Engeland se woonhuise bestaan uit lang aaneengeskakelde rye huise (terraces), wat oor twee of meer verdiepings strek, terwyl enkelverdieping alleenstaande geboue die norm in Suid-Afrika is. Geboue in Engeland vertoon ook 'n opvallende uniformiteit wat in Suid-Afrika ontbreek. 'n Groot persentasie Engelse geboue is van ongepleisterde baksteen (soms klip) gebou, terwyl Suid-Afrikaanse geboue oorwegend afgepleister is. Die algemene dakmateriaal vir Victoriaanse huise in Suid-Afrika, naamlik sinkplaat, word glad nie op Engelse huise gebruik nie. Die oordadige versieringselemente uit gietyster en/of hout wat so tipies van die Victoriaanse styl in Suid-Afrika is, is grootliks afwesig in Engeland, en die meeste Engelse geboue het ook nie 'n bou-element wat vergelykbaar is met 'n Suid-Afrikaanse stoep nie. Alle style wat in Engeland tydens die Victoriaanse periode voorgekom het, word Victoriaans genoem, maar in alle gevalle word die tydperk bedoel, en nie die styl nie. Hoewel daar in Suid-Afrika ook soms na ander style van die Victoriaanse periode as Victoriaans verwys word, het daar teen die einde van die negentiende eeu 'n eiesoortige styl met unieke kenmerke in Suid-Afrika ontwikkel wat as Victoriaans bekend staan. Hierdie studie ondersoek die dieperliggende redes vir die verskille wat tussen die Victoriaanse argitektuur van Engeland en Suid-Afrika bestaan.

Résumé Cet ouvrage examine les fondements du mouvement de conservation architecturale moderne. Dans ce contexte, la création de la « Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings » par William Morris est considéré comme le point culminant d’un processus historique qui mena à l’apparition du mouvement. Sa genèse est présentée comme ayant été le résultat d’une confrontation entre deux visions utopiques du moyen-âge; celle de l’Église Anglicane et celle de William Morris. Un survol détaillé des origines, des résultats et des effets de la « Renaissance Gothique » ouvre tout grand sur les sources littéraires, idéologiques et religieuses qui y donnèrent sa force. Les grands programmes de restaurations qui ont vu le jour en Angleterre à l’ère victorienne sont examinés en relation avec l’Église Anglicane et caractérisés par les motivations idéologiques de celle-ci. Bien que ce memoire ne réussit pas à démontré de manière sans équivoque que la création du mouvement de conservation architectural moderne par Morris fut essentiellement en reaction au programme idéologique de l’Église Anglicane au dix-neuvième siècle, nous y retrouvons néanmoins une réévaluation des causes et de l’impact de la « Renaissance Gothique » qui, de manière significative, allaient à l’encontre des croyances et des principes les plus chers à Morris. Il existe une quantité admirable d’ouvrages examinant les travaux et l’impact de William Morris en littérature et en arts, ainsi que son activisme socialiste. Cependant, il serait juste de constater qu’en comparaison, la grande contribution qu’il apporta à la protection de l’architecture patrimoniale a certainement été négligée dans les publications à son sujet. Ce projet de recherche examine les éléments et les conditions qui ont motivé Morris à créer un mouvement qui encore aujourd’hui continue de croitre en importance et en influence. / Abstract This research seeks to examine and contextualize the origins of the modern architectural conservation movement. In this context, William Morris’ founding of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings is considered to be the culmination of a complex history and process that lead to the movement’s creation. Its genesis is presented as having resulted from the confrontation between diverging views and idealizations of the middle ages, the Anglican Church, and William Morris. An extensive survey of the origins, results, and effects of Gothic Revival points to the literary, ideological, and religious components which gave it its main impetus. The widespread restoration programs carried out in Victorian England in the nineteenth century are largely examined in relation to the Anglican Church and presented as having been motivated by its ideological concerns. Although this research does not manage to demonstrate unequivocally that William Morris’ founding of the modern architectural conservation movement sprang from a direct reaction to the Anglican Church’s religious program in the nineteenth century, it does reevaluate the causes and impact of the Gothic Revival and demonstrates how these were at odds with some of Morris’ most fundamental beliefs and principles. While there is a sizeable body of scholarly work examining William Morris’ work as a poet, artist and socialist, his great contribution to the conservation of ancient buildings has clearly been minimized in comparison. This research project examines the factors and conditions that led Morris towards the creation of an organization which to this day remains highly pertinent and influential.

Résumé Cet ouvrage examine les fondements du mouvement de conservation architecturale moderne. Dans ce contexte, la création de la « Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings » par William Morris est considéré comme le point culminant d’un processus historique qui mena à l’apparition du mouvement. Sa genèse est présentée comme ayant été le résultat d’une confrontation entre deux visions utopiques du moyen-âge; celle de l’Église Anglicane et celle de William Morris. Un survol détaillé des origines, des résultats et des effets de la « Renaissance Gothique » ouvre tout grand sur les sources littéraires, idéologiques et religieuses qui y donnèrent sa force. Les grands programmes de restaurations qui ont vu le jour en Angleterre à l’ère victorienne sont examinés en relation avec l’Église Anglicane et caractérisés par les motivations idéologiques de celle-ci. Bien que ce memoire ne réussit pas à démontré de manière sans équivoque que la création du mouvement de conservation architectural moderne par Morris fut essentiellement en reaction au programme idéologique de l’Église Anglicane au dix-neuvième siècle, nous y retrouvons néanmoins une réévaluation des causes et de l’impact de la « Renaissance Gothique » qui, de manière significative, allaient à l’encontre des croyances et des principes les plus chers à Morris. Il existe une quantité admirable d’ouvrages examinant les travaux et l’impact de William Morris en littérature et en arts, ainsi que son activisme socialiste. Cependant, il serait juste de constater qu’en comparaison, la grande contribution qu’il apporta à la protection de l’architecture patrimoniale a certainement été négligée dans les publications à son sujet. Ce projet de recherche examine les éléments et les conditions qui ont motivé Morris à créer un mouvement qui encore aujourd’hui continue de croitre en importance et en influence. / Abstract This research seeks to examine and contextualize the origins of the modern architectural conservation movement. In this context, William Morris’ founding of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings is considered to be the culmination of a complex history and process that lead to the movement’s creation. Its genesis is presented as having resulted from the confrontation between diverging views and idealizations of the middle ages, the Anglican Church, and William Morris. An extensive survey of the origins, results, and effects of Gothic Revival points to the literary, ideological, and religious components which gave it its main impetus. The widespread restoration programs carried out in Victorian England in the nineteenth century are largely examined in relation to the Anglican Church and presented as having been motivated by its ideological concerns. Although this research does not manage to demonstrate unequivocally that William Morris’ founding of the modern architectural conservation movement sprang from a direct reaction to the Anglican Church’s religious program in the nineteenth century, it does reevaluate the causes and impact of the Gothic Revival and demonstrates how these were at odds with some of Morris’ most fundamental beliefs and principles. While there is a sizeable body of scholarly work examining William Morris’ work as a poet, artist and socialist, his great contribution to the conservation of ancient buildings has clearly been minimized in comparison. This research project examines the factors and conditions that led Morris towards the creation of an organization which to this day remains highly pertinent and influential.

The worlds of Dickens's novels and of Darwin's science reveal striking similarity in spite of their involvement in different areas. The similarity comes from the fact that they shared the ethos of Victorian society: laissez-faire capitalism. In The Origin of Species, which was published on 1859, Charles Darwin theorizes that nature has evolved through the rules of natural selection, survival of the fittest, and the struggle for existence. Although his conclusion comes from the scientific evidence that was acquired from his five-year voyage, it is clear that Dawinian nature is reflected in cruel Victorian capitalism. Three novels of Charles Dickens which were published around 1859, Bleak House, Hard Times, and Our Mutual Friend, share Darwinian aspects in their fictional worlds. In Bleak House, the central image, the Court of Chancery as the background of the novel, resembles Darwinian nature which is anti-Platonic in essence. The characters in Hard Times are divided into two groups: the winners and the losers in the arena of survival. The winners survive in Coketown, and the losers disappear from the city. The rules controlling the fates of Coketown people are the same as the rules of Darwinian nature. Our Mutual Friend can be interpreted as a matter of money. In the novel, everything is connected with money, and the relationship among people is predation to get money. Money is the central metaphor of the novel and around the money, the characters kill and are killed like the nature of Darwin in which animals kill each other. When a dominant ideology of a particular period permeates ingredients of the society, nobody can escape the controlling power of the ideology. Darwin and Dickens, although they worked in different areas, give evidence that their works are products of the ethos of Victorian England.

Towards the end of the 19th century, Wilde produced the three comedies that I will focus on in this essay. These plays, Lady Windermere’s Fan, A woman of No Importance and An Ideal Husband, are all comedies of manners: intelligent dramatic comedies satirising contemporary fashionable circles of society and its manners, as well as social expectations. This type of comedy is often represented by stereotypical characters, such as the fallen woman, the good woman and the young innocent maiden, all three of which I will investigate in this essay.