What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedHysteria
Tanya Wexler · Film · 2011
If you loved Hysteria, start with Quacks (2017) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 1 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Hysteria across media.
If you enjoyed Hysteria, you will appreciate these works that blend historical medical absurdity with a sharp, feminist lens on social progress.
Books on the same thread
Oscar and Lucinda
Peter Carey · Book · 2011
Shares a thread with Hysteria: Gender Roles.
Like Hysteria, this novel captures the distinct social constraints of the nineteenth century, using a romantic framework to explore how gender roles and class expectations dictate personal freedom.
The Vagina Bible
Dr. Jen Gunter · Book · 2019
Explores: Female Anatomy, Women's Issues, Sexual Health Education.
Since Hysteria highlights the historical misunderstanding of female biology, you will find this guide essential for correcting the very myths that once justified such archaic medical practices.
Emma
Jane Austen · Book · 1984
Explores: Matchmaking, Social Class, Self-Deception.
You loved the sparkling wit of Hysteria, and this classic comedy of manners provides the same sharp social commentary on the societal pressures facing women in historical settings.
The Menopause Manifesto
Dr. Jen Gunter · Book · 2021
Explores: Hormonal Health, Medical Advocacy, Aging.
Building on the medical advocacy found in Hysteria, this book empowers you to challenge outdated health narratives, offering a modern, evidence-based perspective on the evolution of women's care.
Series on the same thread
Quacks
Series · 2017
Explores: Medical Innovation, Social Satire, Ambitious Underdogs.
This series mirrors the comedic medical tone of Hysteria, focusing on the eccentric characters and ambitious, often ridiculous, breakthroughs that defined the Victorian era's approach to scientific advancement.
Podcasts on the same thread
Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society
Podcast
Explores: sexual history, scandal, social customs.
The curiosity about Victorian sexual customs that drives Hysteria is explored here in depth, offering an intimate look at the real history behind the social taboos of the period.
Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine
Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroy · Podcast · 2026
Shares a thread with Hysteria: medical history.
Just as Hysteria finds humor in the misguided treatments of the past, this podcast serves as a perfect companion by cataloging the weird and wrong ways medicine has evolved.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Hysteria based on true events regarding the invention of the vibrator?
The 2011 film Hysteria is a comedic take on the historical context of Victorian England. It depicts two doctors who utilize manual stimulation to treat female patients, a practice that eventually leads to the invention of the first electromechanical vibrator.
What is the premise of the movie Hysteria?
Hysteria follows two doctors in Victorian England who treat female patients for various ailments using manual stimulation. The narrative focuses on the professional and social consequences of these medical practices, which ultimately result in the creation of the vibrator.
Should I watch Hysteria if I am interested in Victorian medical history?
Hysteria provides a fictionalized look at medical attitudes in Victorian England. The film centers on the specific medical treatments doctors used for female patients at the time, which serves as the primary inspiration for the invention of the vibrator.
Does Hysteria focus on the invention of the vibrator?
Yes, the plot of Hysteria centers on the medical environment of Victorian England where doctors used manual stimulation to treat female patients. The film tracks how these specific clinical methods eventually lead to the invention of the vibrator.