As the leaves continue to crisp and the air becomes even brisker, our study of the Victorians takes another somewhat unsettling turn as we explore their obsession with spiritualism, superstition, and the supernatural.
As industry, technology, and communication evolve exponentially, countless Victorians are searching for comfort and explanations; many believe they find answers through mesmerism, seances, hallucinations, and mediums.
In this episode, we will learn why so many Victorians were looking beyond the earthly realm for answers, and the impact of that exploration on Victorian London society as a whole.
We will also ponder, discuss, and question:
- The deep-seeded superstitions that have thrived in London for centuries, and the the city’s legendary connection to hauntings and unusual phenomena
- How the rigid social mores of the era created an environment conducive to a subversive subculture, one willing to embrace taboo supernatural monsters and terror
- Why more advanced communications methods inspired many to attempt to communicate with the dead
- The emergence of the supernatural in literature, and the imagery that is still referenced today
- How the road was paved for ill-intentioned charlatans to take advantage of society’s desperation for answers
Were the Victorians naive and gullible, or were they everyday citizens just trying to cope with a rapidly changing world by any means possible? Like so many other aspects of Victorian society in London - it’s complicated.
It’s also intriguing: we will examine one celebrated, reputable Victorian who predicted the disaster of the Titanic in great detail - not just once, but twice - and the cruel irony that awaited him at the end of his life.
Join us! There’s still so much to talk about as we begin to wind down our dedicated series on the repressed, exotic, and maddeningly contradictory Victorians.
Photos and links can be found in our show notes HERE
Arthur Conan Doyle episode cover art: https://www.conandoyleinfo.com/life-conan-doyle/conan-doyle-and-spiritualism/
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