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Geary, Robert F.

Supernatural in Gothic Fiction Horror, Belief, and Literary Change
1992 0-7734-9164-3
While the numinous and heavily psychological aspects of the Gothic have recently received serious attention, no work has examined carefully the relation of the Gothic supernatural to the very different backgrounds of 18th-century and Victorian belief. This study examines the rise of the form, the artistic difficulties experienced by its early practitioners, and the transformation of the original problem-ridden Gothic works into the successful Victorian tales of unearthly terror. In doing so, this study makes a distinct contribution to our grasp of the Gothic and of the links between literature and religion.