English Magic and Imperial Madness: The Anti-Colonial Politics of Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

Critical Explorations in Science Fiction and Fantasy

by Peter D. Mathews

Regency England was a pivotal time, remembered for its political uncertainty, with a changing monarchy, the Napoleonic Wars, and a population explosion in London. In Susanna Clarke’s fantasy novel Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, the era is also witness to the unexpected return of magic.

Locating the consequences of this eruption of magical unreason within the context of England’s imperial history, this study examines Merlin and his legacy, the roles of magicians throughout history, the mythology of disenchantment, the racism at work in the character of Stephen Black, the meaning behind the fantasy of magic’s return, and the Englishness of English magic itself. Looking at the larger historical context of magic and its links to colonialism, this inaugural treatment offers both a fuller understanding of the ethical visions underlying Clarke’s groundbreaking novel of madness intertwined with magic, while challenging readers to rethink connections among national identity, rationality, and power.

“In a dazzling new reading, Peter D. Mathews reveals Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell as exposing myths of British self-satisfaction and enacting a destabilizing, exhilarating ‘change in the night sky’ of the world we think we know. This is first-rate criticism that opens a wonderful book to its readers as never before.”—Nicholas Birns, New York University

“With Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke managed to combine the forms of the historical novel and modern fantasy, evoking the realities of Europe in the time of Napoleon and Lord Nelson alongside wizardry and wild romance, and making both come vividly to life. Peter D. Mathews’s English Magic and Imperial Madness is a study worthy of this achievement, as it evinces deep literary and philosophical scholarship while artfully connecting an analysis of the powers of fantasy with an anti-colonial politics. Thus, Mathews effectively shows how modern fantasy literature can profoundly affect our understanding of the world and its history. It is a remarkable achievement, and a must-read for scholars of fantasy and of world literature more broadly.”—Robert T. Tally Jr., Texas State University

“Peter D. Mathews weaves some magic of his own in English Magic and Imperial Madness, his spellbinding analysis of the “anti-colonial politics” of Susanna Clarke’s brilliant Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Triangulating sorcery, insanity, and political power, Mathews adeptly situates Clarke’s novel within the contexts of English history, literature, and culture, equipping the reader with the background necessary to appreciate Clarke’s critique of British imperialism. Mathews’ erudite consideration of myth, magic, fantasy, and politics will serve as the indispensable grimoire for those seeking to unravel the mysteries of Clarke’s rich fantasy novel.”—Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock, professor of English, Central Michigan University

Genres: Theory, 21st Century

168 pages, Paperback

First published October 27, 2021

About the author

Peter D. Mathews is Professor of English Literature at the University of Macau. His research focuses mainly on modern and contemporary British fiction, Australian literature, and literary theory.

He is the author of Lacan the Charlatan, published in the Palgrave Lacan Series in 2020, English Magic and Imperial Madness, published by McFarland & Co in 2021, and From Poet to Novelist: The Orphic Journey of John A. Scott in the Cambria Australian Literature Series in 2022.

His next book, currently under review, is about the work of the Australian author Rodney Hall, two-time winner of the Miles Franklin Award.