Functions of Victorian Culture at the Present Time

An assessment of the theme of the Victorians’ continuing legacy and its effect on our own culture and perception of the world. The contributors’ diverse topics include the persistent influence of Jack the Ripper on police procedures, the success of the magazine Victoria and the lifestyle it promotes, and film, television and theatrical adaptations of Victorian texts. Also addressed are appropriations of Oscar Wilde to market gay identity in advertising and appeals to the Victorian empire in constructing the New Britain for the era of globalization. This text encourages a critique of how these artefacts contribute to 21st century culture and confronts the challenges of disseminating the older culture in the new millennium.