Sign-In
Cart
The Circus and Victorian Society
Hardcover
Series: Victorian Literature & Culture (Hardcover)
Fiction AnthologiesGeneral DramaGeneral World History
ISBN13: 9780813923406
Publisher: Univ Of Virginia Pr
Published: May 30 2005
Pages: 256
Weight: 1.19
Height: 0.92 Width: 6.38 Depth: 9.24
Language: English
It was during the Victorian era that the circus, whose origins lay in the fairground world, emerged as a commercialized entertainment that we would recognize today. This development was intricately tied to a widespread demand for circus acts by a broad range of classes. In The Circus and Victorian Society, Brenda Assael examines this interest in the circus as an artistic form within the context of a vibrant, and sometimes not so respectable, consumer market. In doing so, she provides not only the first scholarly history of the Victorian circus but also a new view of nineteenth-century popular culture, which has usually been seen as the preserve only of the working class.
The Victorian circus ring was a showcase for equestrian battle scenes, Chinese jugglers, clowns, female acrobats, and child performers. In addition to their wondrous qualities, unabashed displays of physical power, and sometimes subversive humor, however, Assael reveals how such acts were also rendered as grotesque, lewd, or dangerous.
The consuming public's desire to see the very kinds of displays that reformers wished to regulate put the circus establishment in a difficult position. Wishing to create a respectable reputation for itself while also functioning as a profitable business, the industry was engaged in a struggle that required the appeasement of both the regulator and the consumer. This conflict informs us not only of the complicated role that the circus played in Victorian society but also provides a unique view into a collective psyche fraught by contradiction and anxiety.
Also in
General Drama
Freeing the Natural Voice: Imagery and Art in the Practice of Voice and Language (Revised & Expanded)
Linklater, Kristin
Paperback
Book Meets World: The Definitive Inside Story of the Hit Sitcom Boy Meets World
Strong, Rider
Friedle, Will
Fishel, Danielle
Hardcover
Funny Business: The Old-School Wedding Crashers and Knocked-Up Virgins Who Changed Comedy Forever
Singer, Matt
Hardcover
The NEW Comedy Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Writing and Performing Stand-Up Comedy
Carter, Judy
Paperback
How to Succeed in Musical Theatre Without Really Dying: The Actor's Guide to Booking Work and Building a Career That Lasts
Oliver, Ryan Scott
Mendez, Lindsay
Paperback
The Golden Girls Cookbook: More Than 90 Delectable Recipes from Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia
Styler, Christopher
Hardcover
Drama Projects for the Middle School Classroom: A Collection of Theatre Activities for Young Actors
Young, Rebecca
Paperback
Essentials of Screenwriting: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Television Writing
Walter, Richard
Paperback
Drama Teacher's Survival Guide--Volume 2: Activities, Exercises, and Techniques for the Theatre Classroom
Johnson, Margaret F.
Paperback
Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream for Kids: 3 Short Melodramatic Plays for 3 Group Sizes
Kelso, Brendan P.
Paperback
Large Print Dot To Dot Book For Senior: 50 Large Print Easy Dot To Dot Nature Scenes, Flowers, Butterflies &, Animals, dinosaur, .. & Birds And More (
James S Wagner Dot Book House
Paperback
Fawlty Towers: Fawlts and All: A 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Nation's Beloved Sitcom
Cleese, John
Hardcover
Scoundrels, Villains, & Knaves: Disneyland, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Popular Culture
Nolte, Foxx
Paperback
The Official Rocky Horror Late Night Double Feature: The 50th Anniversary Two-Volume Collector's Edition
O'Brien, Richard
O'Brien, Linus
Hardcover
Rhinoceros and Other Plays: Includes: The Leader; The Future Is in Eggs; It Takes All Kinds to Make a World
Ionesco, Eugene
Paperback
Drama Teacher's Survival Guide--Volume 1: A Complete Handbook for Play Production
Johnson, Margaret F.
Paperback
The Cool Ruler-The Incredible Life Story of Gregory Isaacs(Message, Missteps and Mastery of a Musical Maestro)
Price, Peter
Paperback
A Century of Music Under the Stars: A History of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts and Robin Hood Dell
McCarthy, Jack
The Mann Center for the Performing Arts
Hardcover
The Men Who Would Be King: An Almost Epic Tale of Moguls, Movies, and a Company Called DreamWorks
Laporte, Nicole
Paperback
Fairytales for Privileged Children: Little Red Riding Hood Blows Her Trust Fund & Other Premium Tales
Foxx, Daniel
Hardcover
An Introduction to the Art of Theatre--Student Text: A Comprehensive Text -- Past, Present, and Future
Cassady, Marsh
Paperback
Speaking Out: An Introduction to Public Speaking: A Student-Friendly Guide to Public Speaking
Gallagher, Michael
Paperback
The Theatrical Adventures of Edward Gorey: Rare Drawings, Scripts, and Stories
Verburg, Carol
Hardcover
Live from New York: The Complete, Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by Its Stars, Writers, and Guests
Shales, Tom
Miller, James Andrew
Paperback
On Jokes (Or, Why Everything You Know about Comedy Is Wrong): The Hidden Mechanics of Funny
Baker, Amanda
Grant, Abi
Carr, Jimmy
Hardcover