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The Murderous Insanity Of Love: Sex, Madness, And The Law In The 19th Century, Russell M. Franks

Russell M. Franks

The late 19th century was a time of dynamic change for the United States. High ideals, progressive reform movements, accelerated industrial expansion, explosive immigration rates, and an increase in urban growth all characterized the Gilded Age of America.

This paper will examine the factors and social conditions that revolutionized how abnormal sexual and gender behavior was interpreted as insanity in and out of the courtroom during this Gilded Age.