Penny Bloods: Gothic Tales of Dangerous Women
Introduction
It is always a pleasure to be able to read, enjoy, and write about the work of colleagues in the field. Working in industry while trying to maintain some growth as an independent scholar carries many challenges, and organic exposure (and access) to the research of fellow scholars is one of them. Institutional access is reserved for scholars who are actively part of post-secondary institutions, and accessing these resources as an independent is less and less financially feasible as time goes on.
Which is why I was thrilled to have won a giveaway for a new edited collection on Dr. Penny Stressful’s Twitter a few months ago. Dr. Nicole C. Dittmer’s collection Penny Bloods: Gothic Tales of Dangerous Women (published by the British Library) arrived on my doorstep in early March. The collection contains seven newly edited short stories from several 19th century “penny dreadfuls” (more on this below) from brilliant several brilliant scholars, with insight from Dr. Dittmer’s research providing context and insight throughout.
I will tackle this book as I do most short story collections, with a brief paragraph on each short story offering a bit of knowledge of each piece with a sprinkling of insight to help further understanding and appreciation of the piece. I never claim for my blog to be spoiler-free, not least of which because it is very difficult – if not impossible – to deliver any kind of literary analysis without delving into the details of a piece. I do, however, aim for my spoilers to be sparse, light, and peripheral enough to avoid impeding enjoyment of the piece if or when you sit down with the book yourself.
The stories highlighted in this collection offer some of the best and bloodiest of nineteenth century horror stories, drawing us back in time to some of the origins of some of our most wonderfully creepy story traditions. Dr. Dittmer’s introduction offers a wealth of knowledge for those who are new to the history and origin of the Penny Blood, and the recommended reading contained in the footnotes points those who want more information in a very generative direction. The piece is well-edited, well-structured, and offers opportunities for enjoyment for scholars and casual readers alike.
I originally intended to have this piece done for the end of March this year, but I think the cadence for this blog is settling rather organically into a bi-monthly cadence, so I will try to keep that up moving forward. As always, if there is a work you want to see featured on this blog, please reach out to me and I’ll make an effort to get it on the blog within 3-4 months.
Now, let’s dive into some Penny Bloods!
What Actually Are “Penny Bloods”, Anyway?
Dr. Nicole Dittmer gives a much more in—depth explanation of this in the book, so I would highly recommend picking up a copy to get the full experience of reading up on this rich, fascinating history of Victorian Periodical fiction and gathering resources for where to look further if you really want to gain some expertise on the topic.
For my readers who do not have the time (or inclination) to do a deep dive, this is what you need to know about Penny Fiction:
The early nineteenth century brought with it a myriad of improvements in printing and publication, including the ability to produce reading material at a relatively low-cost and quite quickly. From this technical advancement – and from “the residue of the first-wave of Gothic literature” (Dittmer VII), serialised texts known as penny publications or “penny fictions” emerged and eventually increased in popularity.
This new form of literature was blamed for destabilizing society and critics warned of its negative influences, particularly for its glamorization of criminal activity, focus on villainy, and graphic descriptions of content that was considered unsavoury. In the 1830s, these cheap, sensationalist publications were dubbed “penny bloods.” (VII) By the 1860s, the genre had evolved somewhat, and the term “penny dreadfuls” emerged. (VIII)
These pieces were cheap to produce and procure, fun to read, and easy to distribute, creating a popular culture that allowed tales of the damned and the damnable to flourish. And flourish they did, with stories from these publications resulting in popular stories like Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street to develop.
With this historical primer in mind, I hope you’ll appreciate the expertly curated collection of Penny Bloods as much as I did. I’ve kept this piece relatively spoiler-free, although again, I hope to whet the appetite for the non-scholars in the audience to get engaged with (what I consider) to be some of the most interesting and stimulating literature I have had the privilege to study.
Penny Bloods: Gothic Tales of Dangerous Women
1)” The Skeleton Count”; or, “The Vampire Mistress” by Elizabeth Caroline Grey
“With sonorous and solemn stroke the bell of the castle clock proclaimed the hour of midnight, and then Bertha slowly raised herself from her lover’s body and slipping from the bed, attired herself in a half-conscious state, and stole noiselessly from the room.” (p. 9)
A Faustian deal creates a creature of the night, while a revenant woman rends havoc in her village by flying in the face of all the Victorian tenets of femininity. With influences from some of Gothic literature’s most well known stories (including Frankenstein and Carmilla), this take is a delightfully vampiric romp with all the details, aesthetics, and sensation of a juicy, bloody vampire story. If you’re someone interested in burial rights, funerary traditions, and the warping of both—this tale is for you.
2) “The Wild Witch of the Heath”; or, “The Demon of the Glen” by Wizard
“Her appearance, which was at all times wild and terrific, was now such as would strike terror into the boldest heart. In her right hand she clutched a huge black snake, which emitted volumes of fire from its mouth; and in her left, which was extended towards D’arste, she held a long, black wand of ebony...” (p. 30)
The detail I like most about this particular tale is its creation by an anonymous author self-titled “Wizard.” Set in early modern Scotland (which was notorious for its manifestation of the witch trials), the story follows a duplicitous viscount and his reliance on the supernatural to achieve his rather nefarious goals. The witch in question (also working with the object of his schemes), is a dangerous creature—and a woman to be feared as well as respected.
3) “The Female Bluebeard”; or, “The Adventurer” by Eugène Sue
“‘Marry! ten thousand devils—marry, if you can find the opportunity;’ for you, suitors are indeed rare, for no one knows what the deuce you do with them; what is certain is, that they do not last you very long.” (p. 74)
Bluebeard was one of the first Gothic tales I encountered, way back in 2015 taking my English 110 course at the University of British Columbia. Based on the same folklore, this story depicts a gender inversion of the original tale, the protagonist threatens the sanctity of marriage and domestic bliss so prized in the nineteenth-century and carries on relationships with three rather exciting suitors. There descriptive language is painted by Orientalism (Said), and dramatic tension is sublime.
4) “The String of Pearls”; or, “The Sailor’s Gift” by James Malcolm Rymer
“I don’t say anything against the pies—I know they are made of the finest flour, the best possible butter, and that the meat, which comes from God knows where, is the most delicate-looking and tender I ever ate in my life.” (p.102)
Credited for introducing the character of Sweeney Todd (who has sparked numerous adaptations into plays, musicals, movies, TV series, and more), this selection from “The String of Pearls” is excellent. Creepy, gory, and dramatic, it is probably one of my favourite pieces in this collection—and clearly shows why this particular periodical was so popular, both in its day and in popular culture now. This one really sells itself if you’re a Sondheim fan.
5) “Wagner, the Wehr-Wolf” by George W. M. Reynolds
“there were the high forehead—the proud lip, curled in scorn, —the brilliant teeth, glistening between the quivering vermillion, —and the swan-like arching of the dazzling neck; there also was the dark glory of the luxuriant hair!” (p. 138)
The excerpt of this particular periodical (focused, in its entirety, rather deliciously on lycanthrope), centres the female rage of Nisida. Highly romantic and full of passion, this excerpt highlights the sensationalism of sensation fiction (as it appears in periodicals of the time), and is a great primer for those who may want to read the volume in its entirety.
6) “The Dark Woman”; or, “Days of the Prince Regent” by Malcolm J. Errym
“Paler and more spectre-like than ever, the Dark Woman made her way in silence through the passages and apartments which lay between her and those private rooms, where she expected to find the object of her search.” (p. 185-186).
Spinning the yarn of a turbulent long-term relationship between Linda Mowbray and George IV, this serial features the Victorian “Fallen Woman” trope, a fate just as ghastly as it was titillating. With false marriage, broken promises, and social abuse run rampant, this tale is more historical than supernatural, but still delightfully Gothic in its aesthetics.
7) “The Wronged Wife”; or, “The Heart of Hate” by Septimus R. Urban
“The wild cries, the excited gestures, the voice hoarse with passion: all made up such a picture of terror and despair that the old Corsican woman, from whose strange mental powers an furious passions had arisen the desire for revenge upon a race for the iniquity of one, shook like a leaf in autumn as she helped by the balustrades of the staircase and looked down upon her raging kinsman.” (p. 220)
A shorter tale reminiscent of Charlotte Brontë’s work, this particular tale involves vengeance, assassination (and various attempts), near death experiences, and psychological devastation. Published on the American side of the Atlantic and featuring a character named Hannibal, this tale offers a tense British domestic plot with social commentary to boot.
Concluding Remarks…
Be you scholar or be you layperson, I cannot recommend enough that you pick up a copy of Penny Bloods. If you’re a horror fan you will appreciate expanding your knowledge on the origins of the genre, and if you’re a scholar you will have a deep appreciation of the work, dedication, and curation that Dr. Dittmer has completed to bring this collection to fruition.
Stay tuned in June for the next installment of the blog, and if you will be in Halifax for the IGA 2024 conference feel free to reach out! I will be presenting on Jess Kidd’s Things in Jars and would love to catch up with colleagues.
Until next time.
L
