Peter Rabbit: Domesticity, Breeding, and the Contradictions of the Victorian Rabbit.

This article examines the cultural significance of rabbits in Victorian England, focusing on their dual role as both sentimental pets and sources of meat and fur. It highlights how the Victorian era transformed rabbits from primarily livestock into companion animals associated with women, children, and moral education, while they remained a common food staple. Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit exemplifies this contradiction, embodying the affectionate, anthropomorphized pet alongside the harsh reality of rabbits as food. The article also discusses the rise of rabbit breeding and shows as middle-class hobbies and the broader Victorian context of humane education coexisting with animal consumption. Overall, the Victorian pet rabbit is portrayed as a complex cultural invention reflecting tensions between domesticity, sentiment, and pragmatism. [Extracted from the article]