ABSTRACT
Ayres provides several working definitions of “scandal” for the benefit of the contemporary who rarely hears of the word anymore unless reading one of the myriad Regency romance novels that are so popular today. She also constructs a historical context and articulates the value of a study of what were once controversial issues regarding behavior and infractions of social mores and religious doctrine. Following an overview of the major scandals during the Victorian period and commentary on some minor ones is a summary of the chapters included in the volume.
