Men of Blood Violence, Manliness, and Criminal Justice in Victorian England [Paperback]

An examination of the treatment of serious violence by men against women in nineteenth-century England.This book examines far more thoroughly than ever before the treatment of serious violence by men against women in nineteenth-century England. During Victoria's reign the criminal law came to punish such violence more systematically and heavily, while propagating a new, more pacific ideal of manliness. Yet, this apparently progressive legal development called forth strong resistance, not only from violent men themselves but from others who drew upon discourses of democracy, humanitarianism and patriarchy to establish sympathy with men of blood. This book examines far more thoroughly than ever before the treatment of serious violence by men against women in nineteenth-century England. During Victoria's reign the criminal law came to punish such violence more systematically and heavily, while propagating a new, more pacific ideal of manliness. Yet, this apparently progressive legal development called forth strong resistance, not only from violent men themselves but from others who drew upon discourses of democracy, humanitarianism and patriarchy to establish sympathy with men of blood. This book examines the treatment of violence by men against women in nineteenth-century England. Criminal law came to punish violence more systematically and severely during Victoria's reign because it was promoting a new, more pacific ideal of manliness. Yet, this apparently progressive legal development triggered strong resistance, not only from violent men but others who engaged in arguments about democracy, humanitarianism and patriarchy to establish sympathy with men of blood. Preface; Introduction; 1. Violence and law, gender and law; 2. When men killed men; 3. Sexual violence; 4. Homicidal women and homicidal men: a growing contrast; 5. Bad wives I: drunkenness and other provocations; 6. Bad wives II: adultery and the unwritten law; 7. Establishing intention: probing the mind lÃ"