Synopses & Reviews
Horror is an established tradition in literature, contemporary fiction and film. From books such as Frankenstein and Dracula to films such as Seven and The Blair Witch Project, the genre has held an irresistible appeal for audiences.
Is the horror genre inherently anti-establishment and an argument for social revolution? Is it a liberating expose of human nature and a peek at the dark side of the unconscious? Or is it pure evil, solely designed to corrupt and deprave? Starting from such questions about the nature of horror, this book offers an accessible history of the genre. Using examples from key Gothic texts of the Romantic period, as well as more recent popular novels and films, this book examines its subject thematically. It includes chapters on horror, religion and identity; "mad science," vampires and the undead; madness and psycho-killers; forbidden knowledge and books; narratives of invasion and pestilence; Satanism and demonic possession; ghosts and the ghost-story; and body-horror and metamorphoses. Darryl Jones is a professor at The School of English at Trinity College, Dublin.
Horror is an established tradition in literature, contemporary fiction and film. From books such as Frankenstein and Dracula to films such as Seven and The Blair Witch Project, the genre has held an irresistible appeal for audiences.
Is the horror genre inherently anti-establishment and an argument for social revolution? Is it a liberating exposé of human nature and a peek at the dark side of the unconscious? Or is it pure evil, solely designed to corrupt and deprave? Starting from such questions about the nature of horror, this book offers an accessible history of the genre. Using examples from key Gothic texts of the Romantic period, as well as more recent popular novels and films, this book examines its subject thematically. It includes chapters on horror, religion and identity; "mad science," vampires and the undead; madness and psycho-killers; forbidden knowledge and books; narratives of invasion and pestilence; Satanism and demonic possession; ghosts and the ghost-story; and body-horror and metamorphoses. Using examples from key Gothic texts of the Romantic period, as well as more recent popular novels and films, this book examines the horror genre thematically. It includes chapters on horror, religion and identity; "mad science," vampires and the undead; madness and psycho-killers; forbidden knowledge and books; narratives of invasion and pestilence; Satanism and demonic possession; ghosts and the ghost-story; and body-horror and metamorphoses.
Synopsis
Horror is an established tradition in literature, contemporary fiction and film. From books such as Frankenstein and Dracula to films such as Seven and The Blair Witch Project, the genre has held an irresistible appeal for audiences.
Is the horror genre inherently anti-establishment and an argument for social revolution? Is it a liberating expose of human nature and a peek at the dark side of the unconscious? Or is it pure evil, solely designed to corrupt and deprave? Starting from such questions about the nature of horror, this book offers an accessible history of the genre. Using examples from key Gothic texts of the Romantic period, as well as more recent popular novels and films, this book examines its subject thematically. It includes chapters on horror, religion and identity; "mad science," vampires and the undead; madness and psycho-killers; forbidden knowledge and books; narratives of invasion and pestilence; Satanism and demonic possession; ghosts and the ghost-story; and body-horror and metamorphoses.
Synopsis
What is the audience for horror? Why should we want to read books or watch films that make us afraid, or that contain acts of violence or depravity?
Horror has had an established tradition in both fiction and film. From books such as Frankenstein and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow to films such as Se7en and The Blair Witch Project, the genre holds an irresistible appeal for modern audiences. But what is it? Is horror an anti-establishment force and an argument for social revolution? Is it a liberating expose of human nature and a peek at the dark side of the unconscious? Or is it pure evil, designed to corrupt and deprave?
Starting from such questions about the nature of horror, this book offers an accessible history of the genre. It approaches its subject thematically, with chapers on horror, religion and identity; 'mad science'; vampires and the undead; on madness and psycho-killers; on forbidden knowledge and books; on narratives of invasion and pestilence; on Satanism and demonic possession; on ghosts and the ghost story; and on body-horror and metamorphoses. Making reference to key Gothic texts of the Romantic period, as well as more recent popular novels and films, the book is a highly readable introduction for both students of literature and film, as well as horror fans.
Synopsis
Horror is an established tradition in literature, contemporary fiction and film. From books such as Frankenstein and Dracula to films such as Seven and The Blair Witch Project, the genre has held an irresistible appeal for audiences.
Is the horror genre inherently anti-establishment and an argument for social revolution? Is it a liberating expose of human nature and a peek at the dark side of the unconscious? Or is it pure evil, solely designed to corrupt and deprave? Starting from such questions about the nature of horror, this book offers an accessible history of the genre. Using examples from key Gothic texts of the Romantic period, as well as more recent popular novels and films, this book examines its subject thematically. It includes chapters on horror, religion and identity; "mad science," vampires and the undead; madness and psycho-killers; forbidden knowledge and books; narratives of invasion and pestilence; Satanism and demonic possession; ghosts and the ghost-story; and body-horror and metamorphoses.
Synopsis
Horror has an established tradition in both fiction and film. From books such as Frankenstein and Dracula to films such as Seven and The Blair Witch Project, the genre holds an irresistible appeal for modern audiences. But why? Is horror an anti-establishment force and an argument for social revolution? Is it a liberating expose of human nature and a peek at the dark side of the unconscious? Or is it pure evil, solely designed to corrupt and deprave? Starting from such questions about the nature of horror, this book offers an accessible history of the genre. Using examples from key Gothic texts of the Romantic period, as well as more recent popular novels and films, it approaches its subject thematically. It includes chapters on horror, religion and identity; "mad science," vampires and the undead; madness and psycho-killers; forbidden knowledge and books; narratives of invasion and pestilence; Satanism and demonic possession; ghosts and the ghost-story; and body-horror and metamorphoses.
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. [193]-203) and index.
Filmography: p. [204]-209.
Synopsis
Horror has an established tradition in both fiction and film. From books such as Frankenstein and Dracula to films such as Seven and The Blair Witch Project, the genre holds an irresistible appeal for modern audiences. But why? Is horror an anti-establishment force and an argument for social revolution? Is it a liberating expose of human nature and a peek at the dark side of the unconscious? Or is it pure evil, solely designed to corrupt and deprave? Starting from such questions about the nature of horror, this book offers an accessible history of the genre. Using examples from key Gothic texts of the Romantic period, as well as more recent popular novels and films, it approaches its subject thematically. It includes chapters on horror, religion and identity; "mad science," vampires and the undead; madness and psycho-killers; forbidden knowledge and books; narratives of invasion and pestilence; Satanism and demonic possession; ghosts and the ghost-story; and body-horror and metamorphoses.
Synopsis
Using examples from key Gothic texts of the Romantic period, as well as more recent popular novels and films, this book examines the horror genre thematically. It includes chapters on horror, religion and identity; "mad science," vampires and the undead; madness and psycho-killers; forbidden knowledge and books; narratives of invasion and pestilence; Satanism and demonic possession; ghosts and the ghost-story; and body-horror and metamorphoses.
About the Author
Darryl Jones is a professor at School of English, Trinity College Dublin.
Table of Contents
Introduction: ban this sick filth! -- Hating others: religion, nationhood and identity -- Mad science: Frankenstein and his monsters -- Vampires: children of the night -- Monsters from the id: horror, madness and the mind -- Forbidden knowledge: textuality, metafiction and books -- Them!: narratives of pestilence and invasion -- Transformations: body horror -- Hail Satan!: diabolism, the occult and demonic possession.