Post-Millennial Gothic: Comedy, Romance and the Rise of Happy Gothic

Post-Millennial Gothic: Comedy, Romance and the Rise of Happy Gothic

by Catherine Spooner (Author)

Synopsis

Surveying the widespread appropriations of the Gothic in contemporary literature and culture, Post-Millennial Gothic shows contemporary Gothic is often romantic, funny and celebratory. Reading a wide range of popular texts, from Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series through Tim Burton's Gothic film adaptations of Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland and Dark Shadows, to the appearance of Gothic in fashion, advertising and television, Catherine Spooner argues that conventional academic and media accounts of Gothic culture have overlooked this celebratory strain of 'Happy Gothic'. Identifying a shift in subcultural sensibilities following media coverage of the Columbine shootings, Spooner suggests that changing perceptions of Goth subculture have shaped the development of 21st-century Gothic. Reading these contemporary trends back into their sources, Spooner also explores how they serve to highlight previously neglected strands of comedy and romance in earlier Gothic literature.

$46.86

Quantity

20+ in stock

More Information

Format: Illustrated
Pages: 226
Edition: Illustrated
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Published: 23 Feb 2017

ISBN 10: 1441101217
ISBN 13: 9781441101211
Book Overview: Explores previously neglected elements of comedy, fantasy and romance in contemporary Gothic texts, from the Twilight books to the films of Tim Burton.

Media Reviews
Post-Millennial Gothic is well rounded, accessible and very readable study that arguably succeeds in its mission statement and more. * The Dark Arts Journal *
This book expands our understanding of the Gothic and uses lots of interesting contemporary examples. I think this book would be of interest to not just Gothic scholars, but also those interested in post-millennial and material culture. * Fantastika *
Author Bio
Catherine Spooner is Senior Lecturer in English Literature at Lancaster University, UK. She is co-editor (with Emma McEvoy) of The Routledge Companion to Gothic (2007) and author of Contemporary Gothic (2006) and Fashioning Gothic Bodies (2004).