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cover of episode 492. The War on Beards: From Peter the Great to John Lennon (Part 2)

492. The War on Beards: From Peter the Great to John Lennon (Part 2)

2024/9/9
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The Rest Is History

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From religious connotations to medical beliefs, beards held a significant status in early modern Europe. They were seen as symbols of masculinity, virility, and even divine favor, with elaborate theories connecting them to a man's vital heat and ability to produce semen. However, different beard styles also carried distinct social connotations, marking men as soldiers, courtiers, or eccentrics.
  • Beards were seen as evidence of male fertility and vital heat.
  • Hildegard of Bingen theorized that hot breath and moisture contributed to beard growth.
  • Powerful figures like Edward III and Charles V sported beards.
  • The Reformation initially saw a rise in beard popularity, but Puritans later associated beards with excrement.
  • Different beard styles in the Elizabethan era signaled different social roles.

Shownotes Transcript

“I like an Englishman to look like an Englishman, and beards are foreign and breed vermin. Also depend upon it, they will lead to filthy habits.”

Europe has had a love-hate relationship with facial hair since the Late Middle Ages. In the eleventh century, beards were celebrated as an expression of fertility caused by men’s “hot breath”. Yet by the turn of the twentieth century, a clean shaven man represented the youth and vigour celebrated in corporate culture. But how did the Reformation impact opinions on beards? Why did Peter the Great instate a tax on beards in Russia? How did the Crimean War lead to the popularity of the Victorian beard? And why did The Beatles end up bearded?

Join Dominic and Tom as they discuss the evolution of the modern beard. With a cast of hairy and hairless characters including the bearded witches of Macbeth, Winston Churchill, Jeremy Corbyn, George Best, W. G. Grace, Charles Darwin, and Lord Kitchener…

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Producer: Theo Young-Smith

Assistant Producer: Anouska Lewis

Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor

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