Violent Victorians and the Ripper Murders

Question 1

define ‘Ripperology’

Answer 1

investigation into the crimes of Jack the Ripper, especially in order to uncover the identity of the murderer

Question 2

what must historians take into account when viewing the case critically?

Answer 2

that it provides an insight into hierarchies and power structures in Victorian Britain

Question 3

list the names of the canonical five victims

Answer 3

Mary Ann Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes, and Mary Jane Kelly

Question 4

describe the living conditions in Whitechapel during the time of the murders

Answer 4

poor living conditions and overcrowding with high levels of poverty. an average of 11.28 persons per house in 1881

Question 5

how did the respectable classes view the East End of London during the Ripper murders?

Answer 5

as a symbol of social unrest and urban degeneracy

Question 6

what were the common fears associated with East London in the late 19th century?

Answer 6

fear of rising gang violence and xenophobia towards immigrants

Question 7

how did the press contribute to stereotypes about Jack the Ripper?

Answer 7

by suggesting that he was a monster, inhuman, and un-English

Question 8

how was anti-Semitism evident during the Ripper case?

Answer 8

increased xenophobia and anti-Jewish riots and violence. Jacob the Ripper/Leather Apron

Question 9

what event highlighted class conflict shortly before the Ripper murders?

Answer 9

Bloody Sunday, November 1887

Question 10

how did the Ripper narrative affect gender relations in Victorian London?

Answer 10

it made women scared to go out alone and highlighted gender inequalities. late-Victorian gender roles were being challenged by the development of the ‘New Woman’ ideals

Question 11

what was the Contagious Diseases Act (1864)

Answer 11

it allowed police to arrest women suspected of being sex workers for intrusive examinations

Question 12

what is a key reason historians study the Jack the Ripper case?

Answer 12

to analyse the discourse around the murders and links to class, gender, race, and politics

Question 13

what was the community response to the murders?

Answer 13

formation of vigilance committees and amateur night patrols

Question 14

how did the press amplify the impact of the Ripper murders?

Answer 14

through sensationalist reporting and the rise of New Journalism

Question 15

what was the ‘Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon’?

Answer 15

a series exposing sex trafficking of young girls, leading to sensationalist journalism

Question 16

how did sensational crime news affect Victorian readers?

Answer 16

it allowed middle-class to vicariously ‘participate’ in the crime via the press

Question 17

what legacy did Jack the Ripper leave on the perception of male violence?

Answer 17

established a common vocabulary and imagery of male violence that persists in popular culture

Question 18

how did sensational reporting impact the perception of the Ripper’s victims?

Answer 18

it dehumanised them, highlighting their gender and portraying their deaths as inevitable

Question 19

how has Jack the Ripper been used symbolically in modern times?

Answer 19

to perpetuate ‘whorephobia’ and misogyny in attacks on women

Question 20

what is a criticism of contemporary Ripper walking tours and museums?

Answer 20

they fail to recognise the victims and the historical context, focusing instead on the sensational aspects of the murders

Question 21

how did Victorian media’s portrayal of the Ripper case affect public perception?

Answer 21

it intensified the dangers of male violence and convinced women that they were helpless victims

Question 22

why do historians reject sensational portrayals of the Ripper case?

Answer 22

they seek to analyse the broader discourse and context of class, gender, race, and politics, rather than focusing on lurid details