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"Every word of it is true": the cultural significance of the Victorian ghost story

The implication of belief, that association between the veridical ghost tale and the fictional ghost tale—an association resulting from the onslaught of reason and science, and consequently spiritual doubt—remains largely responsible for the fictional
ghost tale’s critical demise. A rise in the spiritualist movement produces a specific literature that coincides with the rise in interest in its fictional counterpart. Both the veridical ghost tale and the fictional ghost tale reach their heights in popularity at
precisely the same time; not coincidental, but well planned by talented writers who viewed the preoccupation with ghosts as a platform from which a variety of contemporary issues could be candidly dealt. The Victorian literary ghost figure simultaneously, and ingeniously, fills a spiritual void, satisfies a consumer need for entertainment, and provides an opportunity for cultural commentary. The voice of the Victorian ghost, and the subsequent understanding of its haunted are of distinct cultural significance. / October 2004

  1. http://hdl.handle.net/1993/116
Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:MWU.anitoba.ca/dspace#1993/116
Date04 May 2005
CreatorsCoffey, Nicole
ContributorsYoung, Arlene (English), Bailey, Peter (Senior Scholar, History) Warne, Vanessa (English)
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
Languageen_US
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
Format817889 bytes, application/pdf

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