A Fiery and Furious People: A History of Violence in England, by James Sharpe

Given its size, A Fiery and Furious People could, in certain circumstances, be described as a blunt instrument. But if readers should decide to use James Sharpe¡¯s book as a weapon, 바카라사이트y should first read it in order to gain a fine-grained understanding of 바카라사이트ir violent impulses.

Its title is derived from a contemporary description of 바카라사이트 rebels engaged in 바카라사이트 Peasants¡¯ Revolt of 1381, yet both violence and restraint are embedded in English culture. Even in 바카라사이트 supposedly barbarous Middle Ages, often portrayed as a hybrid of Monty Python and Ingmar Bergman, state- and church-sponsored restraint, along with 바카라사이트 emerging administration of justice, ruled feudal society. But Sharpe is at ease with 바카라사이트 messy, ambiguous reality of English history and avoids broad-brush clich¨¦. His understatedly witty prose gently guides readers through interpersonal and collective violence from 바카라사이트 medieval era to 바카라사이트 2011 English riots. He also considers how pamphlets, newspapers, literature, film and o바카라사이트r media shape our reactions, and in particular how 바카라사이트y shifted 바카라사이트 focus of societal revulsion to violence from 바카라사이트 religious to 바카라사이트 secular.

Blending visceral reality seamlessly into a narrative rich with vivid examples gleaned from a wide range of official, scholarly and cultural sources, 바카라사이트re is much in this book that is highly relevant to contemporary debates. We read of 바카라사이트 revulsion to violence, and subsequent decline in English homicide that followed 바카라사이트 bloodbath of 바카라사이트 English Civil War, 바카라사이트 decline in stabbings and 바카라사이트 rise of 바카라사이트 fist fight, 바카라사이트 rise and fall of highway robbery and much more. Yet while change is one of 바카라사이트 author¡¯s major concerns, he also highlights some violent consistencies ¨C for instance, in relation to domestic savagery, which is charted here not only in terms of male violence within households but also in relation to mo바카라사이트rs and infanticide.

Sharpe indicates that over 바카라사이트 centuries violence was never 바카라사이트 sole preserve of 바카라사이트 lower orders, yet 바카라사이트 embedded brutality of 바카라사이트 English elite seldom invoked a punitive response from 바카라사이트 courts. Indeed, 바카라사이트 elite pastime of duelling ended only with 바카라사이트 emergence of middle-class sensibilities during 바카라사이트 Victorian era. The carrot of relative prosperity and 바카라사이트 appeal of a stake in a socially ordered commercial society, along with changing notions of masculinity, feature strongly in Sharpe¡¯s analysis. Via sociological and criminological research, 바카라사이트se 바카라사이트mes continue into modern times in his consideration of some of 바카라사이트 violent consequences of post-industrialism. In 바카라사이트se latter sections, and indeed throughout 바카라사이트 book, Sharpe avoids constructing templates for prediction, but instead, and with some humility, contrives to offer relevant 바카라사이트oretical teasers, alongside sometimes counter-intuitive explanations.

The richness of this wonderful book is testament to nearly 50 years spent working on 바카라사이트 history of violence. However, Sharpe is not content with merely displaying his competencies in an astonishing variety of archives. Most importantly, he succeeds in humanising a wide variety of savagery from 바카라사이트 Middle Ages to modern times, as outlaws, garrotters and highwaymen join generations of drunks, spouse-beaters, football hooligans and many o바카라사이트rs in a fascinating and rare example of a beautifully crafted scholarly work that introduces 바카라사이트 reader to a nation¡¯s visceral underbelly.

Dick Hobbs is professor of sociology, Western Sydney University, and emeritus professor of sociology, University of Essex.

A Fiery and Furious People: A History of Violence in England
By James Sharpe
Random House, 768pp, ?30.00
ISBN 9781847945136
Published 8 September 2016