Having recently dipped into the British TV series Victoria from 2016, I looked for a reputable biography of her that was available as an audiobook. I was surprised to find that a book written in 1987 by an American academic whose special interest was George Bernard Shaw had been recorded. The reader spoke in accents and as she imagined Victoria, Albert, or others would have spoken. That made the book seem “cinematic” and made me think the series relied on this book as background. The series ended with the death of Albert and of course Victoria lived and reigned until 1901, 40 years later, and that was why I wanted to listen to this audiobook.
The quick take on Victoria’s reign is that she showed great determination growing up in fraught circumstances, protected by her mother from those who would liked to have reigned instead of her. When she became queen, she broke free from restraints and chose her mentor, the Prime Minister Melbourne, and learned to insist on her own wishes. She and Albert had an intense relationship which included nine children and his active role in governing. After he died, she withdrew for years, and when she did return to governing reluctantly, she was focused on being given her due. When she began to fail physically, she maintained ceremonial duties to an impressive degree.
I was particularly interested in this book as I vaguely remembered the interesting passages from a beloved book, The Lunatic Express by Charles Miller, about Victoria’s relationships with two of her Prime Ministers, Disraeli and Gladstone. That book is about the building of a railroad by the British in East Africa from Mombasa on the coast into Uganda. I did learn from this book how much Victoria detested Gladstone and liked Disraeli, but it is not surprising that the railway was not mentioned. I no longer have the book but it is on the shelf at Clemons Library, is available on the kindle, and from used book sellers online.
Without relating all the aspects of her dislike for Gladstone, I do want to remember a few matters this book touched on. According to Weintraub, Gladstone had a bizarre sex life. He was a very moralistic Christian, but had a complex relationship with women in the sex trade. He cruised at night and developed relationships which were sometimes moralistic, but sometimes not and self-flagellation was involved in his remorse. The Queen had very good sources of information and knew about his creepy behavior. He was a strong supporter of home rule for Ireland and she found that intolerable. The Irish pressed for home rule beginning in 1870, but she was convinced they loved her.
One name that came up multiple times was Joseph Chamberlain, active during Victoria’s time in the political world, especially in colonial matters. He came to my notice in the book Melting Point, for his role in offering an area in East Africa to Theodore Herzl for a Jewish homeland as if it belonged to Britain. And I learned he was the father of Neville Chamberlain.
I found Victoria to be pleasingly entertaining, but if you want to come away with more knowledge of her and the era, I would look elsewhere.
Stanley Weintraub, Victoria, Dutton, 1987, 700 pages (I listened to the audiobook). Available in the UVa library.
Thank you for the review. I alternately admire, and then detest, Queen Victoria, from many books that I read over the years, mainly because she is a peripheral character in other books of that time. One that’s clear in my mind is “The Immortal Irishman” by Timothy Eagen, obviously on the side of the Irish! Anyways, I’ll check it out (literally).
Thanks for this, Cathy, and for a new book to put on my list! I am a fan of Timothy Egan, but had missed The Immortal Irishman. As for Victoria (the book) I was left feeling unsatisfied. I do think your view of admiration and detesting her are both accurate. I hope to revisit The Lunatic Express sometime to recapture those views of Victoria.