Victorian Dad
Encyclopedia
Victorian Dad is a character in the British
comic Viz
.
First appearing in Viz in the 1990s, Victorian Dad lives in the contemporary age but dresses and acts like a parody of a stereotypical gentleman of the Victorian era
. He has a large top hat
, always wears a suit, and sports a walrus moustache
and monocle
. According to Viz editor Chris Donald
, Victorian Dad is similar to his creator Graham Dury
because Dury himself is actually a puritan
.
Victorian Dad's first name is given by his wife as Lupin in one episode, and the family name is revealed to be Pooter in another, presumably taken from the name of one of the central characters in the satirical Victorian novel Diary of a Nobody
by George and Weedon Grossmith. He is married with a young son and daughter, and an older married daughter. The rest of his family do not share his conservative
, prudish beliefs, which usually results in misery for them. For example, Victorian Dad once reacted with fury and horror when he realised his daughter was left handed, based on the old belief that left handed people were somehow evil. On another occasion, he threw his grown up daughter, who was married three years previously, out of the house (calling her a "hussy
") when she announced that she was pregnant.
An early episode sees him on Christmas Day presenting his son with a stick and hoop as a Christmas gift...he tells his children that they will be attending church service for "three hours of hypocrisy in sub zero temperatures" but only after he has administered their daily beating.
He is a firm believer in corporal punishment
, often brutally beating his son and daughter whilst shouting "I will have respect from you, BY GOD I WILL!"
At a day at the beach Victorian Dad smacked his children for daring to have fun, and declared that one should change into one's swimming costume in the dark, as it was disgusting for someone to look at their own naked bodies, let alone other peoples'.
The main premise of the strip is that Victorian Dad is a complete hypocrite. He once took his family to Amsterdam
, hoping to take in some fine scenery and continental culture. When he discovers the liberal attitude towards prostitution
and cannabis
in the city, he drags his wife and children to the hotel and locks them all in, to protect them from the unclean depravity outside. Claiming to be in need of fresh air after the shock of the day's revelations, Victorian Dad later goes for a "walk". He swiftly ends up at a brothel
where he has sex with a prostitute whilst begging forgiveness from God
for his lapse into the "sins of the flesh". Another strip had Victorian Dad receiving post from a missionary
friend of his in an unnamed nation in Oceania
. Victorian Dad is publicly appalled at the photographs of beautiful Polynesia
n women walking around topless. He ostensibly takes the photographs to be destroyed, but it is clear he is ogling them. He later collapses and has to have an ambulance called when his frenzied masturbation causes him to faint. One occasion has the teenage son playing with a games console, only for his outraged Luddite father banishing him to his bedroom for playing with such a devil's instrument. At 3am Lupin can be seen continually cursing as he attempts to reach the next stage of the console game his son was playing, the inference being that he has been up all night on the fruitless venture. His final gesture on that episode is to scream "fuck" as he loses another bout of the game.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
comic Viz
Viz (comic)
Viz is a popular British comic magazine which has been running since 1979.The comic's style parodies British comics of the post-war period, notably The Beano and The Dandy, but with incongruous language, crude toilet humour, black comedy, surreal humour and either sexual or violent storylines...
.
First appearing in Viz in the 1990s, Victorian Dad lives in the contemporary age but dresses and acts like a parody of a stereotypical gentleman of the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. He has a large top hat
Top hat
A top hat, beaver hat, high hat silk hat, cylinder hat, chimney pot hat or stove pipe hat is a tall, flat-crowned, broad-brimmed hat, predominantly worn from the latter part of the 18th to the middle of the 20th century...
, always wears a suit, and sports a walrus moustache
Walrus moustache
The walrus moustache is characterized by whiskers that are thick and bushy in nature. Its name derives from the fact that the whiskers usually droop over the mouth, giving an appearance to the human face that is very similar to that of a walrus.-History:...
and monocle
Monocle
A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the vision in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens, generally with a wire ring around the circumference that can be attached to a string. The other end of the string is then connected to the wearer's clothing to avoid losing...
. According to Viz editor Chris Donald
Chris Donald
Chris Donald is the founder of, and one of the principal contributors to, the British comic magazine Viz...
, Victorian Dad is similar to his creator Graham Dury
Graham Dury
Graham Dury is a British cartoonist. He is known for his work with adult comic Viz, having contributed to the magazine from its early years...
because Dury himself is actually a puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
.
Victorian Dad's first name is given by his wife as Lupin in one episode, and the family name is revealed to be Pooter in another, presumably taken from the name of one of the central characters in the satirical Victorian novel Diary of a Nobody
Diary of a Nobody
The Diary of a Nobody, an English comic novel written by George Grossmith and his brother Weedon Grossmith with illustrations by Weedon, first appeared in the magazine Punch in 1888 – 89, and was first printed in book form in 1892...
by George and Weedon Grossmith. He is married with a young son and daughter, and an older married daughter. The rest of his family do not share his conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
, prudish beliefs, which usually results in misery for them. For example, Victorian Dad once reacted with fury and horror when he realised his daughter was left handed, based on the old belief that left handed people were somehow evil. On another occasion, he threw his grown up daughter, who was married three years previously, out of the house (calling her a "hussy
Slut
Slut or slattern is a pejorative term applied to an individual who is considered to have loose sexual morals or who is sexually promiscuous...
") when she announced that she was pregnant.
An early episode sees him on Christmas Day presenting his son with a stick and hoop as a Christmas gift...he tells his children that they will be attending church service for "three hours of hypocrisy in sub zero temperatures" but only after he has administered their daily beating.
He is a firm believer in corporal punishment
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment is a form of physical punishment that involves the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offence, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behaviour deemed unacceptable...
, often brutally beating his son and daughter whilst shouting "I will have respect from you, BY GOD I WILL!"
At a day at the beach Victorian Dad smacked his children for daring to have fun, and declared that one should change into one's swimming costume in the dark, as it was disgusting for someone to look at their own naked bodies, let alone other peoples'.
The main premise of the strip is that Victorian Dad is a complete hypocrite. He once took his family to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, hoping to take in some fine scenery and continental culture. When he discovers the liberal attitude towards prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
and cannabis
Cannabis
Cannabis is a genus of flowering plants that includes three putative species, Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. These three taxa are indigenous to Central Asia, and South Asia. Cannabis has long been used for fibre , for seed and seed oils, for medicinal purposes, and as a...
in the city, he drags his wife and children to the hotel and locks them all in, to protect them from the unclean depravity outside. Claiming to be in need of fresh air after the shock of the day's revelations, Victorian Dad later goes for a "walk". He swiftly ends up at a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
where he has sex with a prostitute whilst begging forgiveness from God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
for his lapse into the "sins of the flesh". Another strip had Victorian Dad receiving post from a missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
friend of his in an unnamed nation in Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
. Victorian Dad is publicly appalled at the photographs of beautiful Polynesia
Polynesia
Polynesia is a subregion of Oceania, made up of over 1,000 islands scattered over the central and southern Pacific Ocean. The indigenous people who inhabit the islands of Polynesia are termed Polynesians and they share many similar traits including language, culture and beliefs...
n women walking around topless. He ostensibly takes the photographs to be destroyed, but it is clear he is ogling them. He later collapses and has to have an ambulance called when his frenzied masturbation causes him to faint. One occasion has the teenage son playing with a games console, only for his outraged Luddite father banishing him to his bedroom for playing with such a devil's instrument. At 3am Lupin can be seen continually cursing as he attempts to reach the next stage of the console game his son was playing, the inference being that he has been up all night on the fruitless venture. His final gesture on that episode is to scream "fuck" as he loses another bout of the game.