Author Description
This book is the first ever to describe and discuss all the principal English writers who have handled the subject of the supernatural. Among those included in Glen Cavaliero's absorbing study are James Hogg, Sheridan Le Fanu, Henry James, Rudyard Kipling, Walter de la Mare, M. R. James, John Cowper Powys, William Golding, Iris Murdoch, and Muriel Spark. As well as analysing the senses in which the supernatural may be understood, he relates them to different kinds of fiction, such as the Gothic novel, the occultist romance, the ghost story, novels of paranormal psychology, nature mysticism, and late twentieth-century uses of allegory and fable. He examines the impact of supernaturalist themes upon naturalistic writers, and discusses the relevance of the supernatural to the question of the truthfulness of fiction, and to contemporary literary theory and its ideological accompaniments.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the historical and thematic development of the supernatural within the tradition of English fiction. Glen Cavaliero, a scholar of English literature, provides a comprehensive analysis of how various authors have integrated supernatural elements into their narratives. He argues that these themes are not merely peripheral but are central to understanding the evolution of the novel, the nature of literary truth, and the intersection of paranormal psychology with traditional storytelling.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of major authors including James Hogg, Henry James, Rudyard Kipling, and Muriel Spark
- Categorization of supernatural subgenres such as the Gothic novel, occultist romance, and ghost stories
- Examination of the relationship between supernatural themes and naturalistic writing styles
- Discussion of the role of allegory and fable in late twentieth-century literature
Scope Limits
- The study is restricted to English-language writers and does not provide an exhaustive global survey of supernatural literature
- The text focuses primarily on literary fiction rather than popular genre pulp or contemporary horror cinema
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and critics recognize this text as a foundational survey for understanding the integration of the uncanny within the English literary canon. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a rigorous resource for students of literary theory and genre history.
Page Count:
288
Publication Date:
1995-04-13
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0192126075
ISBN-13:
9780192126078
Horror tales
English literature
Literary Criticism
Gothic
Fantasy fiction
English fiction
Literary theory
Supernatural