'He was supposed to preserve his own life by helping his neighbour to flourish. But the philosopher does not accept such fanciful relationships. Having regard for himself alone in the world, he looks after his own interests in all things. […] He is no longer afraid to make everything serve him, to possess all that… Continue reading 5) The Transformation of Gothic Libertinism: From Romanticism, Victorianism and Post-Millennial Fiction- Conclusion
‘You try very hard to make up for something that was never your fault […] you didn’t choose this kind of life, and yet you have to work so hard to be good.’[1] As the Victorian period came to an end and the twentieth century began, Gothic literature began to undergo another transformation. With civilisation… Continue reading 4) The Transformation of Gothic Libertinism: From Romanticism, Victorianism and Post-Millennial Fiction- Chapter Three: The Twilight Saga
The vampire is prone to be fascinated with an engrossing vehemence, resembling the passion of love […] it will never desist until it has satiated its passion and drained the very life of its coveted victim.[1] The Victorian era saw a drastic shift in the representation of the libertine within Gothic literature. As Gothic horror… Continue reading 3) The Transformation of Gothic Libertinism: From Romanticism, Victorianism and Post-Millennial Fiction- Chapter Two: Carmilla
‘Few venture far as thou hast ventured in the alarming paths of sin.’[1] Charlotte Dacre occupied a unique position within the Gothic canon, as one of the few female writers who engaged in publishing such explicit ‘unabashedly libidinous’ and overtly libertine novels.[2] Angela Carter notes that, prior to writers such as Dacre, the libertine genre… Continue reading 2) The Transformation of Gothic Libertinism: From Romanticism, Victorianism and Post-Millennial Fiction- Chapter One: Zofloya, or the Moor
Ever since I first read the works of Angela Carter in college and found out about the infamous Marquis De Sade, I was immediately entranced by his incredibly terrifying stories of lust, depravity and sin. While I was studying my MA in Gothic Literature at the University of Sheffield, UK, I was admittedly struggling to… Continue reading 1) The Transformation of Gothic Libertinism: From Romanticism, Victorianism and Post-Millennial Fiction- Introduction
