Demons of the body and mind: essays on disability in gothic literature

Abstract

The Gothic mode, typically preoccupied by questions of difference and otherness, consistently imagined the Other as a source of grotesque horror. Paradoxically, the Other also became a pitiful figure, often evoking empathy. The sixteen critical essays in this collection examine the ways in which those suffering from mental and physical ailments were refigured as Other during the Gothic era, and how they were imagined to be monstrous. Together, the essays highlight the Gothic inclination to represent all ailments as visibly monstrous, even those, such as mental illness, which were invisible. This exploration of illness and disability represents a strong addition to Gothic studies.

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