What does the term penny dreadful mean?

Answer 1

A penny dreadful is a type of low quality popular literature originating in 19th century Britain. As literacy levels rose among the working classes, there was a new demand for cheap and entertaining reading material. This demand was answered by penny and half-penny dreadfuls; as the name suggests, they cost just a single penny or half-penny, which was fairly affordable even among poorer families, and they were serials. Stories like Sweeney Todd and similar gruesome, sensationalist tales were published in this form. These penny dreadfuls were also popular among young people of the middle and lower classes.

In the paternalistic society of Victorian Britain these stories were not deemed suitable reading for youth or the underclasses; they were too rough and shocking for delicate middle class sensibilities. As a result, many penny dreadfuls were slowly changed into more 'improving' publications, such as the children's magazines the Girls' Own and Boys' Own Papers.

Today, the penny dreadful's closest relatives are comic books like Beano.

Answer 2

A "penny dreadful" is a term used to describe a type of 19th-century British cheap fiction publication that featured sensational and thrilling stories, often involving crime, Horror, or adventure. These publications were typically sold for a penny and were known for their lurid and sensational content.