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Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures

by Douglas William Jerrold

Douglas William Jerrold (1803-1857) was the son of an actor manager. After some time in the Navy and as an apprentice printer he became a playwright and later a journalist. He was a contemporary and friend of Charles Dickens. As a journalist he worked for Punch magazine in which Mrs Caudle's Curtain Lectures were serialised, to be published in book form in 1846. Job Caudle, the 'hero' of the book is a Victorian shopkeeper whose wife finds she can only talk to him without interruption in bed. Caudle, who outlives his wife, finds he can no longer sleep easily because of his memory of these 'lectures' and resolves to exorcise his wife's memory by recording the lectures, it seems with a view to future publication for the edification of others. Jerrold's humour shines through this insight into Victorian middle class culture. (Summary by Martin Clifton)

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Episodes

  1. Introduction

  2. Lecture 1: Mr. Caudle has lent five pounds to a friend

  3. Lecture 2: Mr. Caudle has been at a tavern with a friend, and is “enough to poison a woman” with tobacco smoke

  4. Lecture 3: Mr. Caudle joins a club – “The Skylarks”

  5. Lecture 4: Mr. Caudle has been called from his bed to bail Mr. Prettyman from the watch-house

  6. Lecture 5: Mr. Caudle has remained downstairs till past one, with a friend

  7. Lecture 6: Mr. Caudle has lent an acquaintance the family umbrella

  8. Lecture 7: Mr. Caudle has ventured a remonstrance on his day’s dinner: cold mutton and no pudding – Mrs Caudle defends the cold shoulder

  9. Lecture 8: Caudle has been made a mason – Mrs Caudle indignant and curious

  10. Lecture 9: Mr Caudle has been to Greenwich fair

  11. Lecture 10: On Mr. Caudle’s shirt buttons

  12. Lecture 11: Mrs Caudle suggests the her dear mother should “come and live with them”

  13. Lecture 12: Mr. Caudle having come home a little late, declares that henceforth “he will have a key”

  14. Lecture 13: Mrs Caudle has been to see her dear mother – Caudle on the “joyful occasion”, has given a party and issued a card of invitation

  15. Lecture 14: Mrs Caudle thinks it “high time” that the children should have summer clothing

  16. Lecture 15: Mr. Caudle again stayed out late. Mrs Caudle, at first injured and violent, melts

  17. Lecture 16: Baby is to be christened; Mrs Caudle canvasses the merits of probable godfathers

  18. Lecture 17: Caudle in the course of the day has ventured to question the economy of “washing at home”

  19. Lecture 18: Caudle, whilst walking with his wife, has been bowed to by a younger and even prettier woman than Mrs Caudle

  20. Lecture 19: Mrs Caudle thinks “it would look well to keep their wedding-day”

  21. Lecture 20: “Brother” Caudle has been to a Masonic charitable dinner. Mrs Caudle has hidden the “brother’s” cheque-book

  22. Lecture 21: Mr. Caudle has not acted “like a husband” at the wedding dinner

  23. Lecture 22: Caudle comes home in the evening, as Mrs Caudle has “just stepped out, shopping” On her return, at ten, Caudle remonstrates

  24. Lecture 23: Mrs Caudle “wishes to know if they’re going to the sea-side, or not, this summer – that’s all

  25. Lecture 24: Mrs Caudle dwells on Caudle’s “cruel neglect” of her on board the “Red Rover”. Mrs Caudle so “ill with the sea”, that they put up at the Dolphin, Herne Bay

  26. Lecture 25: Mrs Caudle, wearied of Margate, has “a great desire to see France”

  27. Lecture 26: Mrs Caudle’s first night in France – “shameful indifference” of Caudle at the Boulogne custom house

  28. Lecture 27: Mrs Caudle returns to her native land. “Unmanly cruelty” of Caudle, who has refused “to smuggle a few things” for her

  29. Lecture 28: Mrs Caudle has returned home. The house (of course) “not fit to be seen”. Mr Caudle, in self-defence, takes a book

  30. Lecture 29: Mrs Caudle thinks “the time has come to have a cottage out of town”

  31. Lecture 30: Mrs Caudle complains of the “Turtle Dovery”. Discovers black beetles. Thinks it “nothing but right” that Caudle should set up a chaise

  32. Lecture 31: Mrs Caudle complains very bitterly that Mr. Caudle has “broken her confidence”

  33. Lecture 32: Mrs Caudle discourses of maids-of-all-work and maids in general. Mr. Caudle’s “infamous behaviour” ten years ago

  34. Lecture 33: Mrs Caudle has discovered that Caudle is a railway director

  35. Lecture 34: Mrs Caudle, suspecting that Mr. Caudle has made his will, is only “anxious as a wife”, to know its provisions

  36. Lecture 35: Mrs Caudle “has been told “ that Caudle has “taken to play” at billiards

  37. Lecture the Last: Mrs Caudle has taken cold; the tragedy of thin shoes

  38. Postscript

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Douglas William Jerrold (1803-1857) was the son of an actor manager. After some time in the Navy and as an apprentice printer he became a playwright and later a journalist. He was a contemporary and friend of Charles Dickens. As a journalist he worked for Punch magazine in which Mrs Caudle's Curtain Lectures were serialised, to be published in book form in 1846.

Job Caudle, the 'hero' of the book is a Victorian shopkeeper whose wife finds she can only talk to him without interruption in bed. Caudle, who outlives his wife, finds he can no longer sleep easily because of his memory of these 'lectures' and resolves to exorcise his wife's memory by recording the lectures, it seems with a view to future publication for the edification of others. Jerrold's humour shines through this insight into Victorian middle class culture. (Summary by Martin Clifton)

HOSTED BY

Douglas William Jerrold

Produced by Appletfab LLC

CATEGORIES

arts

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures have?

Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures currently has 38 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures about?

Douglas William Jerrold (1803-1857) was the son of an actor manager. After some time in the Navy and as an apprentice printer he became a playwright and later a journalist. He was a contemporary and friend of Charles Dickens. As a journalist he worked for Punch magazine in which Mrs Caudle's...

How often does Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures release new episodes?

Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures has 38 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

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Who hosts Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures?

Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lectures is created and hosted by Douglas William Jerrold.
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