We tend to think of the Victorian era (1837-1901) as a period of great prosperity, great technological advancement, but also of extreme social rigidity. While it is true that the accepted social norms were more carefully applied back then, this does not mean that the Victorians never engaged in their share of depravity, as the following list will show.
“The Pearl” was in fact a set of magazines published in 18 volumes between 1879 and 1880. The magazine contained pornographic pictures and obscene stories, such as “Lady Pokingham” and “They All Do It”. The magazine was finally discontinued after the publishers were threatened with prosecution by concerned citizens.
“The Romance of Lust” is a 4 volume book documenting the sexual awakening and maturity of Charlie Roberts. It was renowned for the perversity of certain scenes, especially those who include orgies and incest.
“The Sins of the Cities of the Plain” is one of the first works of gay erotic fiction. It tells the story of a rent-boy, or a “Maryanne”, which was the informal name for homosexuals in the XIXth century. Some of the characters are inspired from real people, making this book very revealing when it comes to the life of high and middle class Victorian homosexuals.
Need I really say more? In the context of the age’s religious fervor, “The Nunnery Tales” is an especially saucy piece of literature, including lesbian encounters, erotic flagellation, incest and some cross-dressing for good measure.
This famous erotic novel tells the story of Severin, a young man so infatuated with Wanda that he offers himself as her slave, being subjected to increasingly cruel and degrading acts. The novel became so renowned that it became synonymous with a particular kind of sexual behavior, masochism (named after the author).
The story is told from the perspective of a flea travelling on the shoulder of a young girl. The flea becomes the witness of incredible acts of depravity, including deflowering, priests seducing innocents and incest.
The story revolves around a British lady sending letters to her friends back home in which she describes in great detail how her Turkish captors forcedly ravished her. The main character eventually embraces her role as an Ottoman courtesan and engages in promiscuous sexual adventures.
Also known as “Miss Bellasis Birched for Thieving”, this novel shows the inclination most Victorians have for discipline. After a theft occurs in a girls’ boarding school, a male disciplinarian is brought in to correct the mischievous behavior of staff and students.
The main subject of this story is the “English vice” which is described to the reader under the form of erotic poetry. Most of the content involves flagellation, which seems to have been quite popular during the Victorian era.
While the Victorian men considered themselves “masters of their castle” in day to day life, it seems that many had a deep fascination with bondage and submissive sexual behavior. “Gynecocracy” is the perfect example of this tendency. Here, young male characters had to wear women’s clothes, including corsets, and are forced to serve dominant females. There are quite a few graphic scenes involving corporal punishments, bondage and humiliation.