Gender, Crime, and Murder in Victorian England: The 'Black Ghost' of Bermondsey

Gender, Crime, and Murder in Victorian England explores the notorious Mannings 'Bermondsey murder and its wider implications in Victorian criminal narrative and popular culture. It examines the textual afterlife of Maria Manning, the five forgotten cases of female homicide, and the imagined discourse perpetuated in fictional personifications. It is valuable to students of nineteenth-century literature and culture and researchers in criminology and media culture.

Format: Hardback
Length: 190 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Gender, Crime, and Murder in Victorian England delves into a comprehensive examination of the infamous Mannings' 'Bermondsey murder' and its far-reaching implications in Victorian criminal narrative and popular culture. By exploring the enduring textual afterlife of Maria Manning, including notable literary contributions by Charles Dickens through his characters Mademoiselle Hortense and Madame Defarge, this volume sheds light on representations that both echo and challenge mid-nineteenth-century conceptions of gender, sexuality, class, nationality, religion, and criminality. Additionally, this volume examines the five largely forgotten cases of female homicide from the same year and the imagined discourse perpetuated in fictional personifications. Through a rigorous blend of literary and historical research, this volume offers readers a thorough grasp of the diverse cultural implications of crime and gender during the Victorian era, inviting them to engage with, remember, and reinterpret this rich historical context. Positioned at the intersection of feminist, historical, and literary criticism, this volume holds immense value for students of nineteenth-century literature and culture, as well as researchers with an interest in criminology and media culture.

Weight: 530g
Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032264493