Perhaps, if you provided more context, you might get answers. For example, what happened or was said immediately before the opening remark above? Surely that would give you a clue as to which aspect of Victorianism was involved.
Similarly, we don't know what Claire's husband actually did. He may, for instance, have become all Victorian pater familias and started to tell Claire what to do, rather in the manner which lots of Victorian husbands did. She may then have become all submissive in her dealings with others. There are many possibilities but, without more background, we cannot tell.