The Supernatural in Modern English Fiction

by Dorothy Scarborough

Overview

The supernatural is a traditional element in literature. Since the epic of Beowulf, there has been a continuing presence of the unearthly and weird in poetry, drama, and fiction. The Supernatural in Modern English Fiction, first published in 1917 during a period of renewed social and literary interest in the occult and spiritualism, offers readers an overview of some of the greatest known, as well as some forgotten yet eerily important, works of English literature.

From the precursor of supernaturalism, the Gothic novel with its gloomy castles and cloisters, to the ghosts and madness and horrors written in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, this volume is a guide to a grotesquerie of tales. With chapters like The Devil and His Allies, The Supernatural in Folk-Tales, and Supernatural Science, the unearthly and the bizarre are met inside these pages in all their myriad guises.

This is a book that will appeal to aficionados of fantastic and horror literature, offering new insight into the history of so many grand and delightfully macabre stories.

About the Author:
Dorothy Scarborough (1878-1935) is known for her roles as a teacher, folklorist, and writer. Though born and raised in Texas, Scarborough moved to New York City to earn her Ph.D. in literature at Columbia, where she later taught writing. She was an early member of the Texas Folklore Society (founded in 1910) and served a year as its president. An interest in ghosts led to two books on the subject, Famous Modern Ghost Stories (1921) and Humorous Ghost Stories (1921). She also wrote the acclaimed novel, The Wind (1925), in which a gentle heroine is driven insane by the incessant wind and drought-plagued frontier environment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783752430011
Publisher:	Outlook Verlag
Publication date:	08/14/2020
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x 0.48(d)

About the Author

Dorothy Scarborough (1878-1935) was known for her roles as a teacher, folklorist, and writer. Though born and raised in Texas, Scarborough moved to New York City to earn her Ph.D. in literature at Columbia, where she later taught writing. She was an early member of the Texas Folklore Society (founded in 1910) and served a year as its president. An interest in ghosts led to two books on the subject, Famous Modern Ghost Stories (1921) and Humorous Ghost Stories (1921). She also wrote the acclaimed novel, The Wind (1925), in which a gentle heroine is driven insane by the incessant wind and drought-plagued frontier environment.

Table of Contents

	Introduction	1
Chapter I.	The Gothic Romance	6
Chapter II.	Later Influences	54
Chapter III.	Modern Ghosts	81
Chapter IV.	The Devil and His Allies	130
Chapter V.	Supernatural Life	174
Chapter VI.	The Supernatural in Folk-Tales	242
Chapter VII.	Supernatural Science	251
Chapter VIII.	Conclusion	281

What People are Saying About This

Jessica Amanda Salmonson

Jessica Amanda Salmonson, as listed on A Bibliography of the Most Useful Reference Books for Researching Antiquarian Supernatural Literatures.
An excellent pioneering overview with notable coverage of shorter works & uncollected pre-pulp era magazine stories.

Editorial Reviews

On balance, this well-written overview of the major themes and motifs of supernatural fiction should be in all libraries on the subject.

Horror Literature