The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian Street Literature and Stories

3.25: How the lovely Diana Arlington was ruined. — The vampire stalks abroad by night! — Prosecuted by a ghost?!


Listen Later

Episode 25 of Season Three! — A Sunday-evening full episode!

01:00: AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT OR TWO.

06:10: THE MYSTERIES OF LONDON (1843), Ch. 10; In which —

  • We cut back to Mrs. Arlington’s pad. Richard Markham is a regular guest, and is well on his way to falling in love with her. Then one day, she realizes how deep his feelings have become and, warning him that she is unworthy of him, tells him her story — how she went from being a respectable girl, to a kept mistress… and who it was that seduced her from the straight and narrow, and into a “life of sin.”


20:00: THE ACCUSING SPIRIT (article from The Terrific Register magazine):

  • Tells the story of a man who was prosecuted and nearly convicted of murder based on the testimony of the murder-victim's ghost, as related to his widow by a neighbor, and how a clever judge figured out what was really going on in time to save an innocent man from an untimely scragging.


24:00: CARMILLA, by J.S. Le Fanu (1871), Part 3 of 9. IN WHICH:—

  • We see how Laura and Carmilla get along together. And it’s definitely weird. Carmilla’s affection for Laura has a distinctly sapphic quality, although of course nothing sexual happens. Meanwhile, young ladies and girls around the neighborhood are starting to die of some mysterious wasting illness …


PLUS —

  • We explore a "broadside ballad" published circa 1835 called "Allowed to be Drunk on the Premises," lamenting a particularly unfortunate law passed by Parliament (from a temperance perspective).
  • We learn a few more Victorian "dad jokes" from good old Joe Miller!


EPISODE ART is from The Mysteries of London, and depicts the visit of Richard Markham to the home of Diana Arlington at which she tells him the story of her reputational ruin.

Join host Corinthian Finn, a.k.a. Finn J.D. John 18th Baron Dunwitch,* for a one-hour-long spree through the scandal-sheets and story papers of old London! Grab a flicker of blue ruin, unload your stumps, and let's go!

GLOSSARY OF FLASH TERMS USED IN THIS EPISODE:

  • GENTRY COVES: Well-dressed landowners and respectable gentlemen.
  • ELBOW SHAKERS: Gamblers who play dice games.
  • KNIGHTS OF THE BRUSH AND MOON: Drunken fellows wandering amok by moonlight in fields and ditches, trying to stagger home.
  • CHAFFING-CRIB: A room where drinking and bantering are going on.
  • CLANKER: Pewter drinking-pot.
  • HEAVY WET: Strong beer.
  • IRON DOUBLETS: Parsons and preachers.
  • TOWN TABBIES: Respectable and straight-laced older ladies.
  • JOE MILLER: A famous Shakespearean player from the 1700s who was famous for being a stone-face deadpan actor. As an inside joke, his name was used for the collection of wisecracks that bears his name.
  • VADE MECUM: Latin for "hand book."
  • RED WAISTCOAT: Uniform apparel of the Bow-street Runners, an early London police force replaced by the New Model Police (who dressed in blue rather than red) in 1839.
  • GAMMONERS: Swindlers or bullshitters.
  • ROMONERS: Gammoners who pretend to have occult powers.
  • OLD ST. GILES: The most famous slum parish of London, also called "The Holy Land"
  • CORINTHIAN: A sporting man of rank and fashion. Word is best known for its use by author Pierce Egan for his character "Corinthian Tom" — the "Tom" half of "Tom and Jerry."
  • DUNWICH, Town Of (spelled with no "T"): A seacoast town east of London, once very large, which eroded away and fell into the sea; only a few streets and houses remain
  • DUNWITCH, Barony Of (note the "T"): A small estate in the hills West of Arkham, according to Colonial chronicler H.P. Lovecraft. Does not actually exist, but if it did, would be headed by Finn J.D. John, 18th Baron Dunwitch.
  • DUNSANY, Barony Of: A large estate in Ireland, including Dunsany Castle in County Meath, headed until 1957 by legendary fantasy author Edward J.M.D. Plunkett, 18th Baron Dunsany, one of Mr. Lovecraft's favorite authors.
  • RUM TE TUM WITH THE CHILL OFF: Most emphatically excellent.
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian Street Literature and StoriesBy Finn J.D. John/ Pulp-Lit Productions

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

9 ratings


More shows like The Penny Dreadful Hour: A Feast of Early-Victorian Street Literature and Stories

View all
This American Life by This American Life

This American Life

91,032 Listeners

Your Move with Andy Stanley Podcast by Andy Stanley

Your Move with Andy Stanley Podcast

4,006 Listeners

Focus on the Family with Jim Daly by Focus on the Family

Focus on the Family with Jim Daly

4,844 Listeners

Offbeat Oregon History podcast by www.offbeatoregon.com (finn @ offbeatoregon.com)

Offbeat Oregon History podcast

195 Listeners

History Unplugged Podcast by History Unplugged

History Unplugged Podcast

4,026 Listeners

Explore Oregon Podcast: The state's most beautiful places and biggest issues by Zach Urness / Statesman Journal

Explore Oregon Podcast: The state's most beautiful places and biggest issues

121 Listeners

Consider This from NPR by NPR

Consider This from NPR

6,397 Listeners

Welcome To Oregon: A Oregon History & Lore Podcast by Oregon Voices Network-Marcus Axford

Welcome To Oregon: A Oregon History & Lore Podcast

14 Listeners