Curating a Queen: How Victoria Used her Library to Create and Maintain her own Image

在维多利亚女王统治下，君主制的角色不断变化，其重要性不容低估。在维多利亚的监督下，君主制从一个具有一定国家权力的机构，到世纪初，转变为我们今天所能认识的一个机构;一个纯粹的仪式和形象，只有被咨询、鼓励和警告的权利（用沃尔特·白芝浩的话来说）。正是这个“象征性的君主”的呈现需要如此多的关注和维护，这构成了这个项目的背景。“自我完善”的理念适用于维多利亚的方方面面：公主、君主、皇后、妻子、母亲、寡妇、女人和个人。因此，我会考虑维多利亚在这个不断改进的计划中的目标是什么，并雄心勃勃地发现她觉得自己在实现这些目标方面有多成功。我最初感兴趣的是探索以下问题：1）维多利亚采用了什么方法来创造和维护一个形象？她保持君主制相关性的开创性方法可以说是其生存的原因，因此其成功的基础是理解女王伊丽莎白二世的一个重要因素。2）作为君主，维多利亚是否适应了她向不同人表达自己的方式？维多利亚的一个更著名的日记条目包含了她对佛罗伦萨南丁格尔的过度反应，当两人于1856年9月在巴尔莫勒尔相遇时。有机会接触到她遇到的人写的信，将是一个有趣的方式来衡量她的反应。3）维多利亚的自我完善的方法如何改变她的一生？毫无疑问，维多利亚从小就习惯了文学、音乐和艺术文化。我有兴趣探索她所阅读的材料中的变化，例如，一旦她成年后更多地控制了自己的生活。4）有没有什么人物是维多利亚试图模仿的？作为一个女王，一个在英国君主制中罕见的人物，我会好奇地探索任何女性榜样，维多利亚可能有过，无论是在英国还是在国外。这将是特别重要的探索维多利亚作为一个女人在她的角色作为君主。例如，伊丽莎白一世是一位君主，她的统治是由她的人民的崇拜和创新推动的。有一个语料库的材料可用于完成这个项目，我的目标是利用我有机会访问的所有资源。我将主要使用现有的文献，因为主要来源将是理解维多利亚的自我策展人的方式，到目前为止还没有完成的核心。维多利亚女王的生活一直是学术界和公众对许多人着迷的源泉。然而，人们仍然认为，维多利亚在她自己的统治中是一个被动的角色，她无法控制的情况;一个君主制的棋子，这是她需要成为她同时代人的，而且从那以后一直在适应她在现代世界的遗产。

The changing role of the monarchy under Queen Victoria cannot be understated in its significance. Victoria oversaw the transition of monarchy from an institution of some state power to, by the beginning of the twentieth century, one that is recognisable to us today; one of pure ceremony and imagery, with the right only to be consulted, to encourage, and to warn (in the words of Walter Bagehot). It was the presentation of this "symbolic monarch" that required so much attention and maintenance, and this forms the context of this project. The idea of "self-improvement" is one that can apply to any expression in Victoria's spectrum of fronts; as a princess, monarch, empress, wife, mother, widow, woman and individual. As such, I would consider what Victoria's aims were in this constant scheme of improvement, with the ambition of discovering how successful she felt herself to be in achieving those ends. I am initially interested in exploring the following:1) What methods were employed by Victoria to create and maintain an image? Her pioneering method of keeping the monarchy relevant is arguably the reason for its survival, and thus its successful foundation is an important factor in understanding Queen Victoria.2) Did Victoria, as a monarch, adapt the way she expressed herself to different people? One of Victoria's more well-known diary entries contains her overawed reaction to Florence Nightingale when the two met at Balmoral in September 1856. Having access to letters written by the people she met, would be an interesting way to gauge her reactions.3) How did Victoria's methods of self-improvement change throughout her life? There is no doubt that Victoria was accustomed to literary, musical and artistic culture from a young age. I am interested in exploring changes in the material she read, for example, once she took more control of her own life as an adult.4) Were there any figures that Victoria attempted to emulate? As a queen, a rare figure in the British monarchy, I would be curious to explore any female role models that Victoria may have had, either in Britain or abroad. This would be particularly important in exploring Victoria as a woman in her role as monarch. Elizabeth I, for example, was a monarch whose rule was fuelled by the adoration and innovations of her people.There is a corpus of material available for the completion of this project, and I aim to use all the resources I have the opportunity to access. I would principally use the literature available, as primary sources will be central to understanding Victoria's self-curatorship in a way that has thus far not been accomplished. The life of Queen Victoria is one that is constantly a source of fascination to many, in both academic circles and the public. However, there remains the idea that Victoria was a passive character in her own reign, the circumstances of which were out of her control; a monarchical pawn that was what she needed to be to her contemporaries, and one that has since been adapted to suit her legacy in the modern world.