Darwin, Literature and Victorian Respectability

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The exploration of Victorian respectability reveals the complexities surrounding Charles Darwin's evolutionary theories in mid-nineteenth-century Britain. Gowan Dawson examines how Darwin and his supporters navigated accusations of sexual impropriety amidst the backdrop of Victorian pornography and artistic sensualism. By integrating historical science contexts with literary studies, Dawson highlights the significant yet often overlooked cultural tensions that influenced public debates on evolution, particularly through the lens of aesthetic literature and evolving definitions of obscenity.