Queen Victoria Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Queen Victoria - Essay Example When she was only an infant, her father who was the fourth son of King George the III expired and her mother brought her up single-handedly in a manner that was â€Å"both simple and spare,† by keeping a very keen eye on her and restricting all her movements. (Brad Hooper, 2005) However, in 1837, after the death of her uncle William IV, she assumed the throne and brought her cloistered existence to a close. Arnstein also sheds light on how Queen Victoria, under the guidance and influence of her beloved consort, Prince Albert, worked hard behind the scenes all through her years as a reclusive widow. (Brad Hooper, 2005) Queen Victoria has been the subject of the most number of biographies, than any other lady born since the 1800’s. However, Arnstein is one of the latest biographers who has carried out an in-depth research on the Queen and has shed light on many of the neglected areas of the Queen’s life. Arnstein’s biography is based on authentic manuscript sources such as journals and letters from the Queen’s own writings. ... Arnstein’s depiction of Victorian society is so well expressed in his biography, giving his readers a deep understanding about the administration and the political scene that existed during that time. These facts are not found in the biographies of other authors. He especially examines the political, social, economical and cultural background that was prevalent in Victorian society which makes it easy for his audience to understand how the administration was carried out during those days. In his enlightening and engaging study of the Queen, Arnstein makes an investigation of the public and private life of Queen Victoria. He makes use of the Royal Archives of the Windsor Castle, biographies, monographs, surveys and past research studies and incorporates them together with his own findings to provide us with an insightful view of the Victorian Age. For his study, he made use of various sources of previously unpublished journals and letters written and received by the Queen that contributed towards making his biography of Queen Victoria one of the most outstanding biographies ever. In the history of the world, Queen Victoria is considered as one of the most influential octogenarians to head one of the most powerful nations in the world. Arnstein sheds light on some of the controversial domestic issues and the various international conflicts that faced Victoria during her reign, which is considered to be the longest in the history of Britain. He also made use of secondary sources from collections of already published material to gain insight into the Queen’s life. He speaks of her marriage to Albert and of her being the mother of nine children who proudly showed them to ‘domestic and foreign dignitaries’ (Walter