Vampires, ghosts, and haunted homes: a study of the Gothic with particular reference to Irish-Scots Gothic.
The Gothic, with its panoply of ghosts, skeletons, vampires, revenants, and ruined castles, has held an enduring fascination for Irish and Scottish writers, a number of whom have made a significant contribution to the genre.
This paper will examine three foundational Gothic novels (by Horace Walpole, William Beckford and Mary Shelley) before exploring a selection of Scottish and Irish texts from the early 19th century to the present, paying close attention to questions of political and national context.
Authors studied include: Robert Burns, James Hogg, Sheridan Le Fanu, Bram Stoker, Robert Louis Stevenson, Oscar Wilde, and a changing selection of more recent work.
| Paper title | Irish-Scots Gothic and the Gothic as Genre |
|---|---|
| Paper code | ENGL341 |
| Subject | English |
| EFTS | 0.15 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | First Semester |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $913.95 |
| International Tuition Fees (NZD) | $4,073.40 |
- Prerequisite
- 18 200-level ENGL points
- Restriction
- ENGL 241
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music
- Notes
- Students who have not passed the normal prerequisite may be admitted with approval from the Head of Department.
- Contact
- More information link
View more information on the English and Linguistics Programme website
- Teaching staff
Convenor: Associate Professor Thomas McLean
Lecturers: Associate Professor Thomas McLean, Dr Grace Moore
- Paper Structure
- The paper follows a chronological structure.
- Textbooks
- Three Gothic Novels (Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto; William Beckford, Vathek; Mary Shelley, Frankenstein) (Penguin)
- James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (Penguin)
- Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Penguin)
- Bram Stoker, Dracula
- Sheridan Le Fanu, Carmilla
Additional material to be confirmed.
- Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- Global perspective, Communication, Critical thinking, Cultural understanding, Ethics.
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
- By the end of the paper students should have a sound knowledge of the key generic,
technical and thematic features of Gothic writing as represented by the works on the
syllabus.
They should- Understand the historical trajectory of the Gothic as a genre
- Be able to interpret works of Gothic literature in relation to their literary and historical contexts
- Be able to articulate their views cogently both in discussion and writing
