Contesting the Gothic: Fiction, Genre and Cultural Conflict, 1764-1832 (Cambridge Studies in Romanticism) [Hardcover]

James Watt (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521640997 | ISBN-13: 978-0521640992 | Publication Date: June 28, 1999

This historically grounded account of Gothic fiction takes issue with received accounts of the genre as a stable and continuous tradition. Charting its vicissitudes from Walpole to Scott, Watt shows the Gothic to have been a heterogeneous body of fiction, characterized at times by antagonistic relations between writers or works. Watt examines the novels' political import and concludes by looking ahead to the fluctuating critical status of Scott and the Gothic, and perceptions of the Gothic as a monolithic tradition, which continue to exert a powerful hold.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"James Watt argues that generic labels need to be re-examined, with greater attention given to the historical specificity of certain "so-called Gothic" works. This is an exciting historicist study that provides important contextual material for Gothic scholars." British and American Literatures

"...Contesting the Gothic is impressively researched, well-documented, and convincing in its claims." Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock, Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts

"The exposition is lucid, the reasoning scrupulous, the tone measured and never polemical. The book can be recommended to anyone as the model of a focused and thoroughly professional investigation that carves out a niche of originality in a very crowded literary shelf." Eighteenth-Century Studies

Book Description

This historically grounded account of Gothic fiction takes issue with received accounts of the genre as a stable and continuous tradition. Charting its vicissitudes from Walpole to Scott, Watt shows the Gothic to have been a heterogeneous body of fiction, characterised at times by antagonistic relations between writers or works. Watt examines the novels' political import and concludes by looking ahead to the fluctuating critical status of Scott and the Gothic, and perceptions of the Gothic as a monolithic tradition, which continue to exert a powerful hold.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 218 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (June 28, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521640997
• ISBN-13: 978-0521640992
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,438,613 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A refreshing and forthright contribution to the subject, July 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Contesting the Gothic: Fiction, Genre and Cultural Conflict, 1764-1832 (Cambridge Studies in Romanticism) (Hardcover)

What can I say. This is a must buy for anyone with even a vague interest in Gothic Literature. Watt manages to totally re-evaluate a series of widely held premises surrounding the very core structure of 'Gothic' as a totallity. It should be part of your collection.

3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Respect, February 11, 2000

By 

Elroy Alexander (Flamstead End, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Contesting the Gothic: Fiction, Genre and Cultural Conflict, 1764-1832 (Cambridge Studies in Romanticism) (Hardcover)

Tome it may concern: big up to the Buffa from the Flamstead End massive!

Cuffley and Goffs Oak been dissing the Gothic for too long, but there ain't no contesting it now - tha Buffa has spoken and HIS WORD IS LAW.

Walpole, Scott - the whole damn lot; your reputation is on a firm footing.

Respect.