The Coherence of Gothic Conventions

by Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick

First published in 1986, The Coherence of Gothic Conventions makes the case that the Gothic in English literature has been marked by a distinctive and highly influential set of ambitions about relations of meaning. Through readings of classic Gothic authors as well as of De Quincey and the Bront�s, Sedgwick links the most characteristic thematic conventions of the Gothic firmly and usably to the genre's radical claims for representation. The introduction clarifies the connection between the linguistic or epistemological argument of the Gothic and its epochal crystallization of modern gender and modern homophobia. This book will be of interest to students of literature, cultural studies and psychology.

Genres: Gothic, Nonfiction, Literary Criticism, Academia

194 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick was an American academician specializing in literary criticism and feminist analysis; she is known as one of the architects of queer theory. Her works reflect an interest in queer performativity, experimental critical writing, non-Lacanian psychoanalysis, Buddhism and pedagogy, the affective theories of Silvan Tomkins and Melanie Klein, and material culture, especially textiles and texture. Drawing on feminist scholarship and the work of Michel Foucault, Sedgwick uncovered purportedly hidden homoerotic subplots in writers like Charles Dickens, Henry James and Marcel Proust. Sedgwick argued that an understanding of virtually any aspect of modern Western culture would be incomplete or damaged if it failed to incorporate a critical analysis of modern homo/heterosexual definition, coining the terms "antihomophobic" and "homosocial."

Reviews

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a pioneer in Gothic Literature theory and analysis, I am constantly impressed by how fresh and penetrating Sedgwick's observations and interpretations in this book still are. While her method of isolating tropes from their context, analysing and comparing them in order to identify the themes and core ideas in a Gothic work has since been transformed and expanded by other notable Gothic scholars such as Punter, I do believe that this book remains one of the best introductions to Gothic literature and theory.

[Jana · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are obviously some good ideas here (and I'm sure I missed many of them) but they were buried under so much deliberately obscure prose that it makes me wonder who was this written for. I get that it's a thesis, but if you talk about what's unreadable, unspeakable, and language as live burial while doing /exactly/ that, what are the examples even for.

[Sina]

a little dense and abstract at times but fun. I learned so much about Thomas de Quincey

[Wren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book of criticism.

[spoon · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a let down. Not one star b/c I didn't hate it and ch 1 is kinda cool and parts of ch 4 are kinda interesting, but this is v specific, not super helpful, and doesn't really have the chunky ideas I love that Touching Feeling is filled with. Also a bit uneven honestly--maybe just in hindsight b/c I read the blurb at the beginning that said ch 1-3 were a diss, ch 1 was revised, and ch 4 was written later, but Ch 1, 2, & 3 and 2 + esp seem v diss to me and Ch 4 so much more like a journal publication.

[Owin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very densely written book honestly meant for literary scholars pretty deep in the paint on Gothic theory and criticism. But with some patience and genuinely curiosity/loving interest in the genre, there are some incredible ideas that hold up even against modern scholarship. Genuinely enjoyed it start to finish, and found myself picking apart every detail and using the frameworks established here to inform my own work in school.

[RAVEN621 · Rating 5 out of 5]

extremely important, this research and these ideas are not talked about enough especially in the west. very important for my own personal research. loved it

[azul · Rating 4 out of 5]

another one down … will i b able to read a book a day n reach my 2025 goal that i j started ? lol

[Mengxing Fu · Rating 2 out of 5]

almost unreadable