The Cambridge Companion to Queen Victoria

Focusing on her contributions to domestic, international and imperial policies and practices, this volume offers an updated assessment of Queen Victoria's life and legacy. With fourteen chapters written by scholars ranging across disciplines, this study provides accessible and innovative insights on the queen as cultural force and political agent.

In recent years, Queen Victoria (r. 1837–1901) and her world have come into sharper focus. Current scholarship has explored who the queen was and how her subjects saw her, both at home and abroad. We also have a deeper appreciation for Victoria's own role and agency in shaping her reign and constructing her self-image. This volume builds upon these developments and offers nuanced and historically grounded perspectives on the Victorian monarchy. The Cambridge Companion to Queen Victoria features the work of leading scholars across disciplines including literature, history, religion, women's studies and art history. Organized into four sections, the volume presents accessible and innovative scholarship on the queen as a cultural force and political agent, in domestic, international and imperial contexts.