This document discusses several key aspects of Victorian society in the 19th century in the United Kingdom. It was divided into three periods: the Hungry Forties which saw social and economic problems, a period of optimism in the 1850s driven by industrial and agricultural growth, and increasing pessimism at the turn of the century. Victorian society was characterized by a code of respectability based on principles of hard work, morality, and outward conformity. There were stark divisions between the aristocracy, middle class, and poor, who faced difficult living conditions including overcrowded housing and workhouses.