Ghosts and the Gothic

Ghosts have long been connected with the Gothic, but until now there has not been a comprehensive book-length study of their significance to the genre.

This collection examines ghostly presences (and absences) in both classic and lesser-known Gothic texts, spanning the origins of the genre to the present day, and examining them through a global lens. The collection argues that the undead, in the form of ghosts, are intrinsic to the Gothic mode, raising questions about the place of manifested spirits. The Gothic has consistently engaged with the 'political', and the essays in this collection address some of the most relevant issues facing us today - from the destruction of the natural environment and questions of 'freedom', to gender politics.

The return of the undead, ghostly presence will inevitably uncover hidden truths and uncomfortable secrets. Unruly, and impossible to repress, the ghost in the Gothic embodies the genre's inherently subversive nature.

About the author

Ruth Heholt is Professor of Literature and Culture at Falmouth University
Joanne Ella Parsons is Senior Lecturer in English and Writing at Falmouth University

Product details

• Authors: Ruth Parsons Heholt
• Assisted by: Heholt Ruth (Editor), Joanne Ella Parsons (Editor)
• Publisher: Manchester University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 16.09.2025
• EAN: 9781526181923
• ISBN: 978-1-5261-8192-3
• No. of pages: 360
• Series: International Gothic Series
• Subjects: Fiction > Poetry, drama; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > General and comparative literary studies; Gothic, LITERARY CRITICISM / Gothic & Romance, LITERARY CRITICISM / Horror & Supernatural, Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900, Literary studies: general, Literary studies: from c 1900 -, Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers, Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers, Literary studies: c 1900 to c 2000