Victorian masculinity

During the Victorian era, there were, as in all eras, certain social expectations that the separate genders were expected to adhere to in the United Kingdom and the British Empire. The study of Victorian masculinity is based on the assumption that "the construction of male consciousness must be seen as historically specific."^[1] The concept of Victorian masculinity is extremely diverse, since it was influenced by numerous aspects and factors such as domesticity, economy, gender roles, imperialism, manners, religion, sporting competition, and much more. Some of these aspects seem to be quite naturally related to one another, while others seem profoundly non-relational^{[citation needed]}. For Victorian men^[which?], this included a vast amount of pride in their work, a protectiveness over their wives, and an aptitude for good social behaviour.^[2] The concept of Victorian masculinity is a topic of interest in the context of cultural studies with a special emphasis on gender studies. The topic is of interest in the areas of history, literary criticism, religious studies, and sociology. Those values that have survived to the present day are of special interest to critics for their role in sustaining the 'dominance of the Western male'.^[3]