Victorian Legacies
44 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 months ago - ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsLook around. What do you see? How do the Victorians continue to influence our lives, our society, our entertainment? Join Emma Catan as we explore the legacy of the Victorians. Where fiction becomes fact.
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Episodes
Episode 41: Carmilla Vibes - Halloween 2023 Roundtable
November 04, 2023 19:21 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBIn this episode I'm joined by my Dracula Vibes panel, Drs Madeline Potter, Theadora Jean and Daniel Kasper! We discuss how Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu's novella Carmilla influenced Dracula, and the legacy Le Fanu's work has today. We consider the queer elements of the work, as well as the way Anglo-Irish identity features in Le Fanu's writing. We think about the way frame narrative benefits Gothic literature overall, and also how a Le Fanu renaissance could be occurring in academia and beyond, ...
Episode 40: Natasha Booth-Johnson - Nineteenth-Century Queer Fiction and Politics
August 07, 2023 18:00 - 42 minutes - 34 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Natasha Booth-Johnson, who is researching into the intersections between queerness and politics in the works of nineteenth-century writers Edith Simcox, Mona Caird, and Isabella Ormston-Ford. We discuss how these writers were active in political movements and the ways in which their work also connects with queerness (as a broad concept involving sexuality, gender, and overall non-conformity). We also discuss the QueerNineteen website, which is a useful resourc...
Episode 39: Valentina Gaio - Victorian (and Current) Attitudes to Slum/Working Class Diets
January 15, 2023 23:14 - 55 minutes - 44.8 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Valentina Gaio. Like myself, Valentina's research interests are broad, from popular culture to crime and horror, and we initially discuss the contemporary 18th century media depiction of the French Revolution. Our main topic today, however, centres on Victorian views of food (specifically slum inhabitants' diets), and the similarities to contemporary 21st century food campaigns. Specifically, we focus on Valentina's study on Jamie Oliver's public campaign, and ho...
Episode 38: Dr Danielle Dove - Victorian/Neo-Victorianism and Material and Dress Culture
November 13, 2022 00:19 - 38 minutes - 31.2 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Danielle Dove, whose research focuses on dress and fashion history, material culture, and literary celebrity. We consider how dress can be linked to the uncanny, utilising new materialism and object-oriented ontology theories to explore the idea that objects (such as items of dress) have a form of agency, and how neo-Victorian sartorial objects seem to have an impact or effect on the protagonists. Particularly, they often have a form of memory (physical or psy...
Episode 37: Céleste Callen: Dickens, Bergson, and Temporality
November 05, 2022 19:00 - 44 minutes - 35.5 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Céleste Callen, who researches into time and temporal experience in 19th century literature. Specifically, we discuss her PhD which utilises the works of Henri Bergson as a lens through which to read the works of Charles Dickens. We discuss how for Bergson, time is a subjective experience rather than linear, and how this impacts on the standard novel construction, in addition to narrative voice (such as in David Copperfield). We think about how time became more...
Episode 36 - Dracula Vibes Roundtable
October 29, 2022 18:00 - 1 hour - 84.9 MBIn this episode I'm joined by a special panel: Dr Madeline Potter, Theadora Jean, and Dr Daniel Kasper, who all research into Gothic literature (specifically, Dracula!) We discuss how their interest in Dracula began, and the different academic (and side) projects they have worked on. We focus on the positive and negative aspects of adaptations, and the assumptions we have (perhaps incorrectly gained) about the Dracula figure. Discussions also include ideas of monstrosity and how this is not ...
Episode 35- Dr Tom Ue - George Gissing
September 17, 2022 20:03 - 46 minutes - 37.4 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Tom Ue, who has researched into authors such as George Gissing, Oscar Wilde, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Edward Prime-Stevenson. We begin by discussing how Tom developed his PhD from his previous studies into George Gissing, and how Gissing's diaries show how well-read and well-connected he was. We consider Gissing's shift from working-class writing, and the ethical issues that still exist today surrounding writing about disadvantaged people, and possibly for the...
Episode 34- Dr Louise Creechan - Nineteenth Century Legacies of Education and the Academy
August 27, 2022 18:00 - 58 minutes - 47.1 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Louise Creechan, who has researched into Victorian and Neo-Victorian Studies. We begin by discussing her PhD in illiteracy and how the nineteenth century saw the rise of mass literacy in England, and the creation of 'normative' standards of achievement. This coincided with capitalist models for a 'productive workforce.' We think about this persists today, with funding dependent on school grades' success, and also how the hierarchical nature of the academy can ...
Episode 33- Dr Richard Jorge Fernandez - Irish Gothic, Galician Literature, and the Problem of Language
August 20, 2022 18:00 - 48 minutes - 38.5 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Richard Jorge Fernández, who researches into the nineteenth-century Irish Gothic, especially the short story. We talk about how his interest in Irish literature began, and also about his current project which compares Galician literature and Irish literature, due to his own roots, and the similarities in these regions. We think about the issues colonial countries face, as well as immigrants and second-generation immigrants. Specifically, we consider how langu...
Episode 32- Manon Burz-Labrande - The Circulation of Penny Bloods and Penny Dreadfuls
July 30, 2022 20:24 - 55 minutes - 44.1 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Manon Burz-Labrande, who researches into the circulation of penny bloods and penny dreadfuls. We talk about how her research looks at how there are issues around canonicity, due to many publications being hidden still, meaning we return to the 'classics' . We observe how there were different ways of circulation beyond publishing, and how contemporary sources like Henry Mayhew reported on this. This leads to the different ways of consuming stories, communal readin...
Episode 31- Azza Hussen - Charles Dickens and 19th century dream theory
July 09, 2022 18:54 - 37 minutes - 29.9 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Azza Hussen, who researches into the works of Charles Dickens. We talk about how her resarch looks at how Dickens' work engaged with or challenged contemporary 19th century dream theories, in novels like Oliver Twist, Dombey and Son. We observe how some 19th century dream theories had a moralistic viewpoint, in that moral people couldn't have bad dreams. About my guest: Azza is a second year PhD student at the University of Leicester, researching Dickens and ni...
Episode 30 - Alora Hayward - Victorian Representations of Gender, Class and Sexuality
June 25, 2022 18:33 - 43 minutes - 35 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Alora Hayward, who researches into Victorian literary works such as Christina Rossetti, George Gissing, Amy Levy and Charlotte Bronte. We talk about academic study in the pandemic and how this has helped us to reevaluate things, and also how nineteenth century attitudes towards gender, class and sexuality can be reflected today. About my guest: Alora Hayward graduated from The University of Winnipeg with her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in June 2021 and is a cur...
Episode 29 - Caterina Liberace - The Victorian Haunted House
June 11, 2022 18:00 - 43 minutes - 35.2 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Caterina Liberace, who researches into the use of Victorian architecture and décor in twentieth and twenty-first century Gothic horror. We consider how the archetypal haunted house we now associate as a Gothic house, is an trans-Atlantic incarnation, and emerged after WWII. We think about how the country house exemplifies this, and how the house also acts as a vampiric institution, creating opportunities to think about how this space is represented in literature...
Episode 28 - Dr Eleanor Dobson - Ancient Egypt, and Egyptology in the 19th and 20th centuries
May 28, 2022 19:50 - 38 minutes - 31 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Eleanor Dobson, who researches into the reception of ancient Egypt during the 19th and 20th centuries. We discuss the centenary of Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, and the stories around the famous 'curses'. We consider what 19th and 20th century Egyptologists were reading, and how they wrote their own stories. We consider how perceptions of the curses developed or changed in the 19th century onwards, and how ancient ...
Episode 27 - Dr Barbara Franchi - Postcolonial Neo-Victorianism, and expanding the 'canon'
May 14, 2022 18:00 - 54 minutes - 44 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Barbara Franchi, who researches into neo-Victorian fiction, intertextuality and echoes of Empire. We consider issues such as the risks of nostalgia in society, and the enduring legacy of the 19th century in neo-Victorian works. We discuss the idea of a neo-Victorian 'canon' and how literature and critical scholarship is redefining this concept - as well as the whole genre of neo-Victorianism. We consider the roots of the field and genre in the reaction to That...
Episode 26- Dr Dominique Gracia - Exploring Adaptations of the 19th Century Detective
May 07, 2022 18:00 - 38 minutes - 35.7 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Dominique Gracia, who had worked on repetitions and revisions, and adaptation theory. We discuss the influence of Sherlock Holmes on modern TV detectives in series such as Sherlock and Vienna Blood. We observe the ways in which we see works through adaptations, and how neo-Victorian works may influence how we think or perceive the nineteenth century. We also discuss hidden stories about Victorian female detectives, and how Holmes' legacy persists today. Abo...
Episode 25- Deborah Siddoway - The Story of Divorce in 19th century society (and literature)
April 30, 2022 18:00 - 41 minutes - 32.9 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Deborah Siddoway, who researches into how the nineteenth century English novel was both informed by and influenced the path of divorce law reform in England. We discuss how all her authors had complex relationships with marriage, and how this is reflected in their works. We also discuss how the no-fault divorce was ended at the time of recording, and how this changes a lot of things for people seeking divorces in England. We discuss her PhD progress, and also her...
Episode 24 - Dr Anna Gasperini - Child Nutrition in C19 English and Italian Literature
April 16, 2022 18:00 - 47 minutes - 38.1 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Anna Gasperini, where we discuss her work on children's literature and child nutrition. We discuss how food in children's literature sublimates and represents a lot of things, including 'taboo' subjects. Children's literature was previously seen as unsophisticated in the academy (like fantasy), which segues into a brief chat about Terry Pratchett's Discworld! We then continue to consider how food was linked to the acceptable and unacceptable body and how that...
Episode 23 - Michelle Ravenscroft - Identity Formation in Adolescents in C19 Literature
April 09, 2022 18:00 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Michelle Ravenscroft, who has recently co-edited the third volume of the popular Talking Bodies series. We chat about our shared experience at Talking Bodies and how Michelle's MA thesis on identity formation in adolescents in the long 19th century literature was turned into a chapter. We also discuss her foundational stages of the PhD project she is working on, on the importance of the Portico Library in Manchester, through readings of The Manchester Man. We als...
Episode 22 - Michelle Reynolds - The New Woman in fin de siècle illustration
April 02, 2022 18:00 - 29 minutes - 23.5 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Michelle Reynolds, who researches into representations of the New Woman in fin de siècle illustration. We discuss how the New Woman was featured in art, specifically in illustration. We observe how fairy tales writers like Evelyn Sharp used these to push forward ideas about feminism, reflecting what was in New Woman fiction but aiming these ideas at children. We consider how such tales explored gender identity and dress, coinciding with how the New Woman's dress...
Episode 21 - Dr Clare Stainthorp - Freethought in the Nineteenth Century
March 26, 2022 19:00 - 37 minutes - 33.9 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Clare Stainthorp, who researches into nineteenth-century atheist, secular and agnostic movements, and their periodical culture. We discuss how pamphlets and periodical culture helped not only to provide a space in which like-minded individuals could discuss freethought ideas, but enabled them to form a community and organise events. We discuss notable individuals such as Constance Naden, and also talk about the upcoming freehtought conference. About my g...
Episode 20 - Laura Demaude - Gaslighting in Victorian and Neo-Victorian Gothic Literature
March 19, 2022 19:00 - 45 minutes - 104 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Laura Demaude, who is currently finishing her MA dissertation on gaslighting and the Gothic. We discuss how gaslighting is represented in Victorian and Neo-Victorian texts written by female authors (such as Bronte's Jane Eyre). We also note how physical gaslighting was used to influence this effect, especially in the film Gaslight. Our discussion also focuses on the importance of discussing literary representations of gaslighting, especially in the light of the...
Episode 19 - Duncan McNulty - Bartitsu in the 19th and 21st centuries
March 12, 2022 19:00 - 41 minutes - 33.6 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Duncan McNulty, founder and provost of the Bartitsu and Antagonistics Forum (BAF) . We discuss how Bartitsu was founded by Barton Wright in the 19th century, how it is presented now within the BAF and other organisations. We consider how the 19th century is still relevant, within pursuits like Bartistu and within steampunk. We discuss the nostalgic element, and how English ideas of colonialism and importance is so ingrained in the English consciousness now. We ...
Episode 18 - Laure Nermel - Elizabeth Siddal and the Pre-Raphaelite Movement
February 26, 2022 19:00 - 33 minutes - 27 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Laure Nermel, who is finishing her PhD on Elizabeth Siddal,. We discuss how the Pre-Raphaelites are portrayed in Neo-Victorian fiction (novels, but also TV shows and plays), especially the women who were connected to the movement. We discuss the value of Siddal's work in her own right (not just as a model but as an artist and writer herself). About my guest: After a B.A in English literature at the Sorbonne, Laure went to Cape Town for a study exchange progra...
Episode 17 - Nat Reeve - Elizabeth Siddal, and Neo-Victorian Queer Novels
February 12, 2022 19:00 - 38 minutes - 31.1 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Nat Reeve, who is not only keeping busy with a PhD on Elizabeth Siddal, but is a Neo-Victorian novelist! We talk about their debut novel Nettleblack, the first of two novels with Cipher Press. Both books follow the adventures of fictional queer Victorians in an eccentric rural setting. We discuss how the novels came about, and the importance of having queer voices represented in Neo-Victorian works (and supported by queer friendly publishers) About my guest: ...
Episode 16 - Dr Nicole C Dittmer and Sophie Raine - Penny Dreadfuls and the Gothic
February 05, 2022 19:00 - 33 minutes - 27 MBEpisode 16 - Dr Nicole C Dittmer and Sophie Raine - Penny Dreadfuls and the Gothic In this episode I'm joined by Nicole and Sophie, who have a forthcoming collection called Penny Dreadfuls and the Gothic; or, Investigations of Pernicious Tales of Terror. We chat about how their individual interests in the Gothic emerged, how they came to work together on their collection, and some tidbits about what we'll read! They also provide fantastic examples of things to watch or read, both modern and...
Episode 15 - Dr Éadaoin Agnew - Victorian Indian literature
January 29, 2022 19:00 - 44 minutes - 35.5 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Éadaoin Agnew, where we discuss her research into Victorian writers of colour (particularly within India, featuring writers who published in English). We discuss the need for decolonising the curriculum in all areas of the academy, how literary studies is still Western-centric, and how institutional barriers like educational policy problematise efforts to address colonial histories. About my guest: Éadaoin is a Senior Lecturer and the Course Leader for Eng...
Episode 14 - Dr Oindrila Ghosh - Thomas Hardy
January 22, 2022 19:00 - 32 minutes - 26.1 MBEpisode 14 - Dr Oindrila Ghosh - Thomas Hardy In this episode I'm joined by Dr Oindrila Ghosh where we discuss her extensive research on the works of Thomas Hardy. We discuss how her interest in literature began in her education in India, from high school into PhD and beyond. Particularly, we talk about how broadening the academic field to "non-Western" countries is particularly useful in Victorian Studies, and how her experience as an Indian academic has helped her to consider new ways o...
Episode 13 - Hollie Geary-Jones - Nineteenth-century sex work
January 15, 2022 19:00 - 41 minutes - 37.8 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Hollie Geary-Jones, where we discuss her PhD project on sex work in 19th century France and England - the differences and similarities in how these people were treated and how they pursued sex work. In particular, we discuss how Hollie's work examines dress, infection (and how sex workers were linked to public health and disease), and performance. TRIGGER WARNING - Discussion of sex work and treatment of sex workers About my guest: Hollie Geary-Jones is a P...
Episode 12 - Chris Woodyard - Victorian and Edwardian Death and Mourning
January 08, 2022 19:00 - 42 minutes - 39 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Chris Woodyard, where we discuss how people in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries dealt with death. How death was depicted and discussed in the press (including crude jokes), the issues surrounding funeral costs and the idea of a respectable funeral. We also discuss how mourning crepe was used for political protest and criminal disguise. We talk about how some funeral practices persist to this day - not all for the better. CONTENT WARNING: Discussion ...
Episode 11 - Dr Jen Baker - The Child and the Afterlife in Gothic Literature
December 31, 2021 19:00 - 41 minutes - 38.3 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Jen Baker, where we discuss her interest in the spectral child and representations of the child in death. We talk about how the legacy of these representations in the nineteenth century linger to this day, through angelic suggestions in Facebook memorials, to the horrific representations of the demonic child in horror films. We discuss her upcoming monograph which will look into these ideas in more detail. , About my guest: Dr Jen Baker is a permanent Teac...
Episode 10 - Samantha Silva - Dickens and Wollstonecraft in contemporary novels
December 24, 2021 19:00 - 42 minutes - 39.1 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Samantha, where we discuss her novels, Mr Dickens and His Carol, and the recent Love and Fury! We talk about how her career in screenwriting aided her writing process, how she wrote her first novel, and how the new release celebrates Mary Wollstonecraft. While Wollstonecraft was just outside of the 19th century, we discuss the influence she had on the Victorian era (especially through her daughter, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley), and the importance of her work to...
Episode 9 - Emily Gallagher - Representations of Victorian Women's Dress
December 11, 2021 19:00 - 31 minutes - 28.4 MBEpisode 9 - Emily Gallagher - Representations of Victorian Women's Dress In this episode I'm joined by Emily, where we discuss her research into the history and representation of Victorian women's dress post-1901. We chat about the ways in which dress and dress objects are preserved and how this has implications for certain narratives of dress - for example, understanding what working-class women wore, and how our understanding of that period can be influenced. About my guest: Emily G...
Episode 8 - Dr Dany van Dam - Postcolonial Neo-Victorianism
December 04, 2021 19:00 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Dany van Dam, where we discuss her research into Neo-Victorian works and postcolonial approaches. We talk about how her research interests developed, the Western-centric focus of the field, and how we can consider new ways to broaden the field. About my guest: Dany has degrees in English and History, and a research MA degree in Literary Studies from Leiden University (the Netherlands). In 2016 she gained her PhD in English Literature from Cardiff Universit...
Episode 7 - Rachel M Friars: Queer (Neo)Victorianism
November 27, 2021 19:00 - 42 minutes - 39.3 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Rachel M Friars, where we discuss her research into queer Neo-Victorian works. We talk about diaries and correspondence and how this provides an interesting insight into queer identities (such as Anne Lister), and how neo-Victorianism reflects contemporary anxieties, whilst considering the enduring legacies of the Victorian. About my guest: Rachel is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of English Language and Literature at Queen’s University in Kingston, On...
Episode 6 - Suzie Lennox - Bodysnatching in the 19th century
November 17, 2021 21:45 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Suzie Lennox, where we discuss her extensive research into the practice of body snatching. She'll tell us about prevention methods, some intriguing tales and escapades of the 'resurrection men', and why she continues to be fascinated by this 'taboo' subject. TRIGGER WARNING: this episode deals with issues around death, graveyards and exhumation so be prepared! About my guest: Suzie studied History at Teesside University and completed her Master’s degree in Arc...
Episode 6: Suzie Lennox - Bodysnatching in the 19th century
November 17, 2021 21:45 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Suzie Lennox, where we discuss her extensive research into the practice of body snatching. She'll tell us about prevention methods, some intriguing tales and escapades of the 'resurrection men', and why she continues to be fascinated by this 'taboo' subject. TRIGGER WARNING: this episode deals with issues around death, graveyards and exhumation so be prepared! About my guest: Suzie studied History at Teesside University and completed her Master’s degree in Arc...
Episode 5 - Brontë Schiltz: Vernon Lee and The String of Pearls (Sweeney Todd)
November 13, 2021 19:00 - 42 minutes - 34.2 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Brontë Schiltz, where we discuss her interest in the associations between illness and queer experience in Victorian fiction such as Vernon Lee's work, and the explorations of economics in the penny dreadful, The String of Pearls and its adaptations. About my guest: Brontë has a BA in English and Creative Writing from Royal Holloway, University of London, and an MA in English Studies: The Gothic from Manchester Metropolitan University. Her work includes academi...
Episode 4 - Dr Helen Davies: Neo-Victorianism, Freak Studies, and Disability Studies
November 06, 2021 19:00 - 42 minutes - 96.1 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Dr Helen Davies, where we discuss her previous work on neo-Victorianism and freakery, her current project on Down's Syndrome and neo-Victorianism, and how neo-Victorianism has interested her (and her take on why we're still influenced by the 19th century). TRIGGER WARNING: contains conversation about disabilities, including past (derogatory) terminology for people with disabilities. About my guest: Dr Helen Davies is a Senior Lecturer in English Literature at...
Episode 3 - Paulus Linnaeus - Graphic Novels and Victorianism
October 30, 2021 18:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Paulus Linnaeus, a graphic novellist who has published The Demonhuntress series. We discuss how his incredible experiences led him to change career, and how he developed The Demonhuntress series. Our chat centres on his recent publications which centred around Jack the Ripper, as well as the upcoming second full-length volume of the series, which features the Orient Express, and the Hope Diamond. About my guest: Former professor, doctor, parachutist, military i...
Episode 2 - Stephanie Farnsworth - Gothic influences in Mass Effect
October 23, 2021 18:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Stephanie Farnsworth, who researches into mutants and body horror in video games. We'll discuss her research and the influences of the 19th century (particularly, the Gothic) in creative works such as video games. About my guest: Stephanie Farnsworth is a PhD candidate at the University of Sunderland, and her research focuses on examining 'mutants' and body horror in video games. While her work focuses on video games which often are set in futuristic societies, ...
Episode 2: Stephanie Farnsworth - Gothic influences in Mass Effect
October 23, 2021 18:00 - 32 minutes - 30 MBIn this episode I'm joined by Stephanie Farnsworth, who researches into mutants and body horror in video games. We'll discuss her research and the influences of the 19th century (particularly, the Gothic) in creative works such as video games. About my guest: Stephanie Farnsworth is a PhD candidate at the University of Sunderland, and her research focuses on examining 'mutants' and body horror in video games. While her work focuses on video games which often are set in futuristic societies, ...
Episode 1 - All about ME!
October 16, 2021 21:09 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBIn this episode I discuss my research interests; what led me into research and neo-Victorian studies. I talk about my PhD project, the texts I am working with, and what thoughts I have about the influence of the nineteenth century. Episode Credits: Episode Writer, Editor and Producer: Emma Catan Music: Burning Steaks (by Stationary Sign) - obtained via EpidemicSound Check us out at the following social media pages and websites! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/victorianlegaciespodcast ...
Series Episode Trailer (Episode 0)
October 09, 2021 23:14 - 1 minute - 1.25 MBLook around. What do you see? How do the Victorians continue to influence our lives, our society, our entertainment? Join Emma Catan as we explore the legacy of the Victorians. Where fiction becomes fact. This episode is the series trailer! Join me as I briefly explain why I came up with this podcast, as a way to navigate my learning journey as a PhD researcher in neo-Victorian literature. Credits: Episode Writer, Editor and Producer: Emma Catan Music: Burning Steaks (by Stationary Sign) ...