The Victorian Era, from 1837 until 1901 during Queen Victoria’s rule, witnessed profound advances in technology, government, manufacturing and everyday life that transformed England and its colonies. Today, its changes may appear remote; yet closer study reveals parallels with today. Victorias_World by Noah Tetzner of CiRCE Institute offers 15 episodes that examine these parallels through expert interviews conducted over time with experts from that era. Sarah Chrisman hosts as hostess.
Chrisman professes to have an interest in Victorian history; yet her episodes reveal a revisionist view of its history that lacks critical analysis and instead responds to contemporary politics. For example, Chrisman presents Anglo-Zulu War as a David and Goliath tale; she ignores that British forces were outnumbered and never questions imperialism’s role in taking land from Zulus in the first place. Blurring away 19th Century Britain makes its legacy easier to digest while distorting it in ways that distorts or diminishes its legacy.