Since the eighteenth century, Gothic writing has reflected a fascination with the darker side of human experiences. With its sinister tales of spiritual corruption and madness, the immoral and the supernatural, human and religious evil, the Gothic text presents a menacing yet enticing fantasy world of fear and excitement. Beyond its haunted castles and imprisoned heroines, however, Gothic writing constitutes a sustained mediation on the nature of transgression and offers unique counter-narratives to Enlightenment and rationalist models of the human. In this module students will consolidate their understanding of the generic conventions of Gothic writing by exploring the relationship between the Gothic and themes of sexuality and desire, suspense and horror, metamorphosis and transgression. Crucial theoretical input will be provided by Freud’s essay on the Uncanny, in addition to a range of contemporary theoretical materials reinforcing the key critical and theoretical knowledge acquired in Critical Dialogues at HE5, developing this understanding to an advanced level appropriate for a HE6 cohort. The module will explore the development of the genre from its popular beginnings in the late eighteenth century to contemporary issues of the present day, paying close attention to recurrent Gothic themes and motifs.
- Teacher: Kim Edwards-Keates
- Teacher: Evan Jones