5 Minute Friday: Victorian Cannibal Poetry-Love and Theology

While researching our recent episode on Alferd Packer, the Colorado Cannibal, Shea stumbled across something unexpected while digging through nineteenth-century newspapers: romantic poetry… about cannibals.Yes, really.In this Five—okay, probably Fifteen—Minute Friday, Shea reads a bizarre little poem from the San Antonio Daily Light (April 1, 1889) titled “Love and Theology.” It’s a Victorian-era love story involving a missionary, a cannibal maid, and a romantic misunderstanding that ends… poorly.Along the way we talk about why nineteenth-century readers were so fascinated with cannibal stories, how these tales showed up everywhere from travel writing to adventure novels, and why the “cannibal” became such a popular stereotype in Western culture.It’s weird. It’s funny. And it’s a fascinating little snapshot of the cultural imagination of the 1800s.Next week we’ll share another cannibal poem from the archives—this one even stranger, and with a few more uncomfortable historical layers.Victorian journalism was a wild place.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/history-unhinged-rainy-day-rabbit-holes/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy