Binding Men: Stories About Violence and Law in Late Victorian England

Binding Men is a book about nineteenth century notions of masculinity. It examines a number of nineteenth century criminal cases, focusing upon theoretical themes relating to masculinity and the state in order to offer both a way of reading past decisions as well as a means of analysing of nineteenth century attitudes in society and the courts. Of the cases selected some are still binding upon English and Welsh courts today, others are first instance decisions and a few attracted a great deal of sensation when they were heard. Of these the most well known are R v Dudley and Stevens (murder, necessity and cannibalism), R v Boulton (crossing dressing), R v Coney (prize-fighting) and R v Crippen (the trial of Dr Crippen). This book combines traditional legal analysis with a more socio-legal and social historical approach. Drawing upon a variety of sources including trial transcripts, law reports, official correspondence and newspaper stories, Binding Men unpicks the narratives of masculinity which the cases tell.