The Victorian Variety Show

There were a lot of sightings of “sea serpents” during the Victorian Era. I discuss some well-known sightings, and explain why these mysterious creatures became an important part of 19th-century culture despite the genuine fear they inspired in so many people. ***** References Coleman, Loren. Mysterious America: The Ultimate Guide to the Nation's Weirdest Wonders, Strangest Spots, and Creepiest Cr...

I am very excited to have Lindsay Valenty of the Ye Olde Crime podcast as TVVS’s first-ever guest! Lindsay provides us with lots of excellent information about Spring-Heeled Jack, who was far more than just a popular character from the penny dreadfuls. You can learn more about Lindsay and her AWESOME podcast here: linktr.ee/yeoldecrime ***** Sources Anonymous. “Spring-Heeled Jack: The Terror of Lo...

I discovered poet/herpetologist Arthur O’Shaughnessy (1844-1881) earlier this week. In this episode, I explain why I find him so interesting, and read a few of his works. ***** References Finnigan, Robert. “Arthur O’Shaughnessy: An Anglo-Irish Poet?” Nordic Irish Studies 17, no. 2 (2018): 55–74. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26657341. Günther, Albert. “Seventh Contribution to the Knowledge of the F...

In my third and final (for now) episode on Victorian-Era stage magic, I look at the influence of imperialism on this art form, and ways in which Western magicians “Othered” non-Western cultures. ***** References Goto-Jones, Christopher. “Magic, Modernity, and Orientalism: Conjuring Representations of Asia.” Modern Asian Studies, vol. 48, no. 6, 2014, pp. 1451–76. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable...

In my second episode on Victorian-Era stage magic, I discuss some of my favorite tricks and illusions from Magic: stage illusions and scientific diversions, including trick photography (1897), edited by Albert A. Hopkins. ***** References Goulden, Anne. “Maskelyne & Cooke: the early years.” http://www.davenportcollection.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Goulden-Anne-2013-Hamburg.pdf Goran, David....

The Victorian Era was something of a “golden age” for stage magic and illusions. I explain some of the conditions that helped magic shows become seen as a “respectable” form of entertainment, describe some of the venues in which shows were held, and introduce some of the larger-than-life performers whose craft is still emulated to this day. ***** References American Museum of Magic. “The History o...

Mourning etiquette was rather elaborate during the Victorian Era, particularly for women. I explain how Queen Victoria inspired these traditions, and look at recommended mourning periods, “widow’s weeds,” mourning warehouses, and (of course) the ubiquitous crepe. ***** References Compass Rose Design. “History of Victorian Mourning Jewelry.” https://www.compassrosedesign.com/pages/history-of-victor...

The Victorians didn’t play around when it came to death. In this episode, I look at how mourning dolls were created and their functions, and discuss the rationale behind “death kits” that were given to many children during this era. ***** References Brand, Kara. “The Eerie Story Behind Victorian Mourning Dolls.” https://the-line-up.com/victorian-mourning-dolls Cherrell, Kate. “The World of Victori...

Although prosthetic limbs have existed since ancient times, the demand for them and, subsequently, the way in which they were designed and produced changed dramatically around the turn of the nineteenth century. I describe advancements in prostheses during the Victorian Era, and discuss ways in which wearers of artificial limbs were described in literature of the period (particularly by Charles Di...

For a change of pace, I read “The City in the Sea” and “The Haunted Palace” by Edgar Allan Poe. ***** References Poe, Edgar Allan. “The City in the Sea.” https://poets.org/poem/city-sea Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Haunted Palace.” https://poets.org/poem/haunted-palace Wikipedia. “The City in the Sea.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_City_in_the_Sea#:~:text=%22%20The%20City%20in%20the%20Sea%20%22%20is...

Although taxidermy predated the Victorian Era, this practice reached the peak of its popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I discuss ways in which taxidermy became accessible to the public during the Victorian Era, and consider what it meant on a cultural and social level. ***** References Brown, Thomas. The Taxidermists Manual. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.221209/...

Punch Magazine was a British weekly that played a pivotal role in Western satire for over 150 years. I focus on the development of this publication in the 1840s & its influence during the Victorian Era, & also talk a bit about why I think humor & satire are important. ***** References Cooke, Simon. “Richard Doyle and the front cover of Punch.” https://victorianweb.org/art/design/books/cooke12.html...

Art, and the pursuit of pleasure and beauty, were of the utmost importance among members of the Aesthetic Movement in the second half of the 19th century, such as Oscar Wilde and William Morris (to name a few). I explain how Aestheticism was a reaction to certain Victorian-Era ideals, discuss some of the biggest influences on the Aesthetes, and describe characteristics and examples of Aesthetic ar...

We may (rightly) think of tuberculosis as a deadly disease, but many people saw it as much more during the 19th century. After a brief discussion of the disease itself, I explore ways in which TB was woven into Victorian-Era art and culture. ***** References Brontë, Charlotte. Jane Eyre: An Autobiography. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1260/1260-h/1260-h.htm Clarke, Imogen. “Tuberculosis: A Fashi...

I discuss the difference between imperialism & colonialism & some prominent examples of both throughout world history, then focus on how Britain became the “global policeman” during the Victorian Era. ***** Sources Burk, Kathleen. “Great Britain and the ‘Scramble for Africa’.” https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/great-britain-and-the-scramble-for-africa#:~:text=Professor%20Kathleen%20Bur...

Tattooing may not be the first thing that comes to mind for many of us when we think of the Victorian Era, but I discuss how & why tattooing became popular among members of the working-class & elite alike in the U.K. & the U.S. during the 19th Century. ***** Sources Belden, Elisha. “The History of Christianity and Tattoo Culture.” https://www.tattoo.com/blog/history-christianity-tattoo-culture/ Bl...

In the second episode of my 2-part series on Victorian-Era mental hospitals, I examine key individuals in the asylum movement in the U.S. during this period, as well as the planning & construction of these institutions, “asylum tourism,” & how easily this system was abused. ***** Sources Bazar, Jennifer L., and Jeremy T. Burman. “Asylum tourism.” https://www.apa.org/monitor/2014/02/asylum-tourism...

The construction of mental asylums, & the number of patients they housed, increased dramatically during the Victorian Era. In this episode, I look at some 19th-century legislation regarding the construction of asylums & the treatment of patients in the U.K., as well as some common practices in British asylums during this time. ***** Sources Dance, Caecilia. “A history of Bedlam, the world’s most n...

Surgery was a bloody and unsanitary business for much of the Victorian Era. I discuss some common practices of surgeons of the period, and describe the atmosphere in which they operated. ***** References Blazeski, Goran. “Robert Liston performed the only operation with a 300% mortality rate; His patient, his assistant and a spectator died.” https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/12/05/robert-liston-p...

Arsenic was pretty much everywhere one looked during the Victorian Era, and although we may have heard about it being used in murder, a large number of arsenic poisonings were accidental. I discuss arsenic’s presence throughout history, how and why it became widely available during the Victorian Era, and why it was used in so many consumer products of the time (especially wallpaper). ***** Referen...

The invention of photography in the first half of the 19th century had a powerful impact on the Victorian Era. I briefly describe early photographic processes (especially the daguerreotype), explain how and why postmortem photography became a common Victorian-Era practice, and look at some recent controversy surrounding it. ***** References Browning, Elizabeth Barrett. “Outline and Shadow.” https:...

Victorian-Era holiday cards featured a variety of memorable themes, many of which we might consider dark and disturbing today. However, as I explain in this episode, the tone of these cards becomes more understandable when you consider the fact that Christmas cards were a new concept at the time and the social context in which many Victorians lived. ***** References Alvar, Oliver G. “The Crazy Rea...

This episode contains a discussion of drug manufacturing & use during the Victorian Era. Listener discretion is strongly recommended. ***** Victorian-Era pharmacies were groundbreaking, in that they provided the general public with easy access to health care for the first time. I explain how these establishments came about & how the services offered at Victorian pharmacies differed from those offe...

Now viewed mostly as a pseudoscience, phrenology was popular during much of the Victorian Era. I discuss how phrenology evolved from its late 18th-century origins, and explore some ways in which phrenology was used during the Victorian Age. ***** Email: thevictorianvarietyshow@gmail.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/victorianvarie1 Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/marisadf13 I’d greatl...

Science fiction is not a genre many of us associate with the Victorian Era. I explain why I think this is a big mistake, and look at some ways in which Victorian-Era writers like H.G. Wells & Jules Verne continue to inspire contemporary sci-fi writers. ***** Email: thevictorianvarietyshow@gmail.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/victorianvarie1 Buy Me a Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/marisadf1...