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Death In The Victorian Family
This engrossing book explores family experiences of dying, death, grieving, and mourning in the years between 1830 and 1920. So many Victorian letters, diaries, and death memorials reveal a deep preoccupation with death which is both fascinating and enlightening. Pat Jalland has examined the correspondence, diaries, and death memorials of fifty-five families to show us deathbed scenes of the time, good and bad deaths, the roles of medicine and religion, children's deaths, funerals and cremations, widowhood, and mourning rituals.
476 pages, Paperback
First published December 5, 1996
About the author
Pat Jalland
10 books2 followersPat Jalland is a British author (August 18, 1941) and Emeritus Professor of History, Research School of Social Sciences
ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
Areas of expertise :
British History
Australian History (Excl. Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander History)
Research interests
Social history of old age in Australia; social and cultural history of death, grief and mourning in Britain and Australia; history of women and the family in Britain and Australia.
CAREER :
Emeritus Professor of History, History School, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, 2013-
Professor of History (E2), History School, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, 1997-2013
Senior Research Fellow, RSSS, Australian National University, 1983-5,1991-2
Associate Professor of History, Murdoch University, Western Australia, 1986-1996
Senior Lecturer in History, Curtin University, Western Australia, 1976-1983
Temporary Lecturer, London School of Economics and Political Science, 1975-1976
Special Lecturer in History, University College London, 1974-1975
Research Fellow in History, Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge, 1973-1976 (with Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Award)
Teaching Assistant, History Department, University of Toronto, 1969-1971
ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences
Areas of expertise :
British History
Australian History (Excl. Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander History)
Research interests
Social history of old age in Australia; social and cultural history of death, grief and mourning in Britain and Australia; history of women and the family in Britain and Australia.
CAREER :
Emeritus Professor of History, History School, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, 2013-
Professor of History (E2), History School, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, 1997-2013
Senior Research Fellow, RSSS, Australian National University, 1983-5,1991-2
Associate Professor of History, Murdoch University, Western Australia, 1986-1996
Senior Lecturer in History, Curtin University, Western Australia, 1976-1983
Temporary Lecturer, London School of Economics and Political Science, 1975-1976
Special Lecturer in History, University College London, 1974-1975
Research Fellow in History, Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge, 1973-1976 (with Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Award)
Teaching Assistant, History Department, University of Toronto, 1969-1971
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 5, 2017
As someone interested in death and grief in the 19th century, this really is essential reading. I enjoyed many of Jalland's discussions, particularly regarding abnormal grief, saying that Queen Victoria was exceptional in the way she grieved for Albert, and yet many modern scholars see her grief as normal, indicative of the excesses of the age. I also enjoyed her discussion of the good and bad deaths, and chapters on changing theological attitudes to death throughout the century. However at times, I found Jalland's use of letters and diaries - whilst invaluable for the social/historic study she is offering - nonetheless became tedious. Although it helps to build up a rich framework for the topic she is exploring, it did get a little boring now and then hearing letter by letter accounts of how people responded to death. But maybe that is just me approaching this book from a literature perspective, rather than as a historian. I also found Jalland's exclusively middle and upper class approach - whilst understandable - nonetheless limits the reach of her study, I would be interested to see some comparisons and contrasts with grief in working class homes, and whether the abandonment of faith she foregrounds over the century, was prevalent in poorer households too. All in all though, a very interesting book, and a must-read for anyone interesting in death, grief and the 19th century.
February 19, 2021
a textbook that was interesting and readable!
September 9, 2009
Australian historian Pat Jalland bases this experiential history of death and mourning primarily on the manuscript collections of upper and middle class families. It is, as admitted in the text, an examination only of the "attitudes, beliefs, and behavior of the educated and literate part of the population." She concurs with Richardson that this demographic possessed "distinct and class-bound death cultures" which should not be generalized to other classes or nations.
In this book Jalland examines conceptions of heaven, arguments concerning public health, family relations, medical debates (especially concerning euthanasia), changing burial and funeral customs, and the history of emotions and their expression. She describes the "Evangelical model" of good death in which an individual faced death with piety and fortitude, supported by loved ones and confident of salvation; and argues that in the early 20th century declining religious faith, the Great war, and medical advances worked together to dissolve the Christian belief system which had made death less frightening without providing an alternate source of comfort and meaning. The study also contains valuable demographic information even for readers not interested in death as an experience.
In this book Jalland examines conceptions of heaven, arguments concerning public health, family relations, medical debates (especially concerning euthanasia), changing burial and funeral customs, and the history of emotions and their expression. She describes the "Evangelical model" of good death in which an individual faced death with piety and fortitude, supported by loved ones and confident of salvation; and argues that in the early 20th century declining religious faith, the Great war, and medical advances worked together to dissolve the Christian belief system which had made death less frightening without providing an alternate source of comfort and meaning. The study also contains valuable demographic information even for readers not interested in death as an experience.
July 10, 2011
A very interesting book and an excellent introduction to death and mourning in the Victorian era. Especially so since it does not merely focus on hard facts, but depends heavily on personal letters, journals and memorials. The second part of the book, which focuses on mourning, does become a bit repetitive at times though and provided the reader with a bit too many examples. But otherwise it was simply a good book. I would recommend it to anyone who wishes to know more about the way in which Victorians dealt with death.
December 30, 2023
for more thoughts read my thesis 😈
March 20, 2024
I don't feel I learned anything. Also the author got several dates wrong (transposing digits mostly.)
July 23, 2016
This work an essential handbook for anyone wishing to delve into the Victorian world of death. Based primarily on private correspondence of Victorian families, as well as household manuals and other interesting material of the period, it creates a detailed picture of the experience of death and dying. However, due to the choice of sources, the focus is mostly on middle and upper-classes, so those interested primarily in working-class experience need to look elsewhere.
September 22, 2008
I love this book. But then my History specialism was death.
Want to read
December 24, 2008So. Many. Of these flippin' deathdeathdeath books to read. No, but actually, I'm totally stoked. Really.
January 3, 2011
A different academic approach compared to others who dealt with the same topic. Her research is mostly based on letters between family members and actual interviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews