Gothic Silk

The Biology of Horror: Gothic Literature and Film Unearthing the fearful flesh and sinful skins at the heart of gothic horror, Jack Morgan rends the genre’s biological core from its oft-discussed psychological elements and argues for a more transhistorical conception of the gothic, one negatively related to comedy. The Biology of Horror: Gothic Literature and Film dissects popular examples from the gothic literary and cinematic canon, exposing the inverted comic paradigm within each text.

Morgan’s study begins with an extensive treatment of comedy as theoretically conceived by Suzanne Langer, C. L. Barber, and Mikhail Bakhtin. Then, Morgan analyzes the physical and mythological nature of horror in inverted comic terms, identifying a biologically grounded mythos of horror. Motifs such as sinister loci, languishment, masquerade, and subversion of sensual perception are contextualized here as embedded in an organic reality, resonating with biological motives and consequences. Morgan also devotes a chapter to the migration of the gothic tradition into American horror, emphasizing the body as horror’s essential place in American gothic.

The bulk of Morgan’s study is applied to popular gothic literature and films ranging from high gothic classics like Matthew Lewis’s The Monk, Ann Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho, Charles Maturin’s Melmoth the Wanderer, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, to later literary works such as Poe’s macabre tales, Melville’s “Benito Cereno,” J.S Le Fanu’s Uncle Silas, H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Shadow over Innsmouth,” Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hillhouse, Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot, and Clive Barker’s The Damnation Game. Considered films include Nosferatu, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Friday the 13th, Halloween, Night of the Living Dead, Angel Heart, The Stand, and The Shining.

Morgan concludes his physical examination of the Gothic reality with a consideration born of Julia Kristeva’s theoretical rubric which addresses horror’s existential and cultural significance, its lasting fascination, and its uncanny positive—and often therapeutic—direction in literature and film.
Customer Review: “Whatever Just Crash It”
Toyota’s recently-aired television spot featuring two male middle-schoolers and an adult technician at a crash-test facility strikes my limit when it comes to horror: i.e., mere children bullying an adult. The follow-up was even more outrageous. Thus, though not a fan exactly of gothic literature and film, but one who’s aware of its pervasive (and persuasive) influence on popular culture, I keep an eye peeled. That’s how I come to Jack Morgan’s gem of a study. His insights into the nature of gothic make a difference, make one take it more seriously. Moreover, the actual biology is substantial and, finally, Morgan’s sound scholarship and lucid prose (no slack anywhere) recommend it highly. Lucid prose.
Customer Review: Impressive Analysis, Very Readable
Morgan provides persuasive readings of a number of classic and lesser-known books and films. While the book is theoretically informed, a non-specialist audience as well will find it a pleasure to read. Any fan of horror or the gothic ought to read this book.

benito cereno, charles maturin, invasion of the body snatchers, mikhail bakhtin, damnation game, uncle silas, h p lovecraft, sensual perception, mythological nature, suzanne langer, american horror, shadow over innsmouth, mary shelley, gothic horror, biological motives, invasion of the body, macabre tales, gothic tradition, psychological elements, jack morgan
benito cereno, charles maturin, invasion of the body snatchers, mikhail bakhtin, damnation game, uncle silas, h p lovecraft, sensual perception, mythological nature, suzanne langer, american horror, shadow over innsmouth, mary shelley, gothic horror, biological motives, invasion of the body, macabre tales, gothic tradition, psychological elements, jack morgan