This study explores the vast wealth of material concerning the supernatural in modern English fiction, beginning with its true precursor, the Gothic romance. The author examines how the eighteenth-century novel of terror arose as a reaction against excess rationalism and realism, placing its scenes in medieval structures and adapting scenery and weather to mirror the dark passions of man. The Gothic ghost emerges as the real hero of these tales, accompanied by witches, warlocks, and the devil incarnate, utilizing supernatural science, portents, and mechanisms of dread to achieve effects of suspense.
The volume then traces the later influences that shaped ghostly literature after the decline of the Gothic novel, noting how German romanticism, French masters like Maupassant, and the rising Russian school left their indelible marks. Modern science, folk-lore investigations, and psychical research societies provided new sources and plots, shifting the focus from physical horror to psychical subtlety and complex mental states.
The evolution of the modern ghost is traced through mistaken, subjective, and objective apparitions, noting changes in visibility, dress, sounds, odors, and touch. The modern spirit is shown to be more independent, versatile, and psychologically complex than its Gothic predecessor, animated by a wider range of motives including revenge, jealousy, and malice.
The devil and his earthly partners, witches and warlocks, are examined from their early folkloric and dramatic roots to their later allegorical and satiric representations. The study explores how diabolic spirits such as vampires and werewolves evolved from primitive superstitions into nuanced, psychical figures reflecting the dark undercurrents of human nature.
Finally, the book investigates the theme of supernatural life, encompassing legends of undying persons like the Wandering Jew, elixirs of youth, and the persistence of the soul. Throughout this comparative survey, the author demonstrates how the supernatural has remained an indestructible and vital force in literature, evolving alongside human thought.
