Those Crazy Repressed Victorians...
by Cindy Nunn
Anyone who has even the most basic education about
the Victorian era knows that societal mores
encouraged and expected serious repression of ones
thoughts, words, dress and actions.
This was a time when women were discouraged from
using puns or proverbs in conversation, proper
mourning demanded wearing nothing but black for
two years, women could not dance with one partner
more than three times, spouses referred to and
addressed each other as Mr. or Mrs.
They also raised the "language of flowers" to a fine
art, gifting certain blooms to another based on their
symbolic meaning, since actually telling someone in
words, particularly of the opposite sex, that you
wanted to get to know them better, was considered
vulgar. Just saying such words as pregnant, legs,
intercourse or body was considered highly improper
and could make a young woman blush.
Is it any wonder that they dealt with their repressions
through rather morbid interests and pursuits?
One of those morbid fascinations that the Victorians
enjoyed was the new sensation of trick photography,
with a special fondness for headless or decapitation
photos.
Here is a small sampling of these vintage gems from
the era of Victorian trick photography.
14