The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood was founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. The movement sought to return to the abundant detail, intense colors, and complex compositions of Italian art from before the time of Raphael. Christina Rossetti and William Morris were closely associated with the group's aesthetic, which emphasized romanticism, medievalism, and a rejection of the perceived mechanical art of the industrial age.

'Tracts for the Times' was a series of influential pamphlets published between 1833 and 1841. They were central to the Oxford Movement, also known as the Tractarian Movement, which sought to emphasize the Catholic heritage of the Church of England. Key figures involved in this movement included John Henry Newman, John Keble, and Edward Bouverie Pusey, who aimed to restore traditional liturgical practices.

This line appears in Henrik Ibsen's 'A Doll's House' (1879). The play is a landmark in realist drama, focusing on the protagonist's realization that her marriage is a facade. The quote highlights the tension between social appearances and the financial reality of the household, serving as a catalyst for Nora's eventual quest for personal independence and self-discovery.

The Victorian era is widely considered the golden age of the English novel. Authors like Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and the Brontë sisters utilized the novel form to explore complex social issues, industrialization, and the psychological depth of characters, making it the dominant literary genre of the period.

William Makepeace Thackeray published 'Vanity Fair: A Novel without a Hero' in 1848. It is a landmark work of Victorian literature that satirizes early 19th-century British society, focusing on the social climbing of Becky Sharp. The novel remains a quintessential example of Thackeray's cynical yet insightful narrative style.

The 19th century saw a significant rise in literacy due to the proliferation of affordable print media, including magazines and serialized novels, which made reading accessible to a broader public. While the Reform Bills were crucial for political representation and social change, they were not direct drivers of literacy rates. The growth of literacy was primarily fueled by technological advancements in printing, increased availability of reading materials, and educational reforms.

During the 19th century, London became the heart of the British Empire, which was the largest empire in history. As the center of global finance, trade, and industrial innovation, London exerted unparalleled influence over international politics and culture. The Great Exhibition of 1851, held at the Crystal Palace in London, served as a symbolic demonstration of Britain's technological and economic dominance, cementing its reputation as the epicenter of the Western world.

Swinburne was a controversial figure in Victorian literature, often challenging the moral standards of his time. His poetry, including 'Hermaphroditus,' is frequently cited for its sensuality and its bold, unconventional exploration of erotic themes. By breaking away from the strict moral decorum expected of Victorian poets, Swinburne introduced a level of frankness regarding human desire and physical beauty that was considered transgressive and provocative by his contemporaries.

This quote highlights the rigid class hierarchy and the professional limitations placed upon governesses in the Victorian era. It emphasizes the transactional nature of the employer-employee relationship and the expectation of subservience, reinforcing the social barriers that restricted mobility for individuals in service positions during that period.

Utilitarianism, championed by thinkers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, is a consequentialist ethical theory. It posits that the best action is the one that maximizes 'utility', typically defined as the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. It evaluates the morality of actions based on their outcomes rather than adherence to abstract rules or duties.