ABSTRACT
Inthenineteenthcenturyandintothetwentieth,wife-murderwastaken lessseriouslythananyotherkindofmurderintheEnglishjusticesystem. Indeed,wife-murderwassoprevalentastoberegardedas'normal', possiblybecauseitwasacceptedbybothsexesthatwomenwereinthe powerofmen.Husband-murder,bythesametoken,wasconsidered monstrous,secondindegreeonlytotreason.Wellintothenineteenth centurythechargeofpettytreasonwasstillonthestatutebook,and womenconvictedofhusband-murderwerestillbeingdraggedtothe scaffoldinahurdle.
