Reading modern Gothic Horror writing
Key facts
- Cost: £170
- Credits: 10
Summary
Come modern times, come modern terrors. In the age of mass consumption, urbanisation, global warfare, social liberation and multimedia, what role does superstition and horror still play, particularly in writing? Which ancient fears were re-imagined for a 20th century audience? What kinds of new ‘evil’ were released? Readers were certainly in thrall to writers as diverse as MR James, Shirley Jackson, Toni Morrison, Anne Rice, Stephen King and Angela Carter, with cult followings and adaptations on stage and screen. But what drove and shaped horror as a genre across this momentous century? Why does that writing still terrify us today?
Join this course to explore Gothic horror writing in the 20th century and investigate the wider cultural, social and political anxieties lurking behind its surface. In particular, join this course to explore a thrilling range of short stories and novels from key figures such as:
- May Sinclair, selections from Uncanny Stories (1923)
- Selections from M. R. James, Collected Ghost Stories (1931), E.F. Benson, ‘Mr. Tilly’s Séance’ (1922)
- Arthur Conan Doyle’s ‘Tales of Terror and Mystery’ (1922)
- Vampire fiction from Anne Rice, Poppy Z. Brite, and Sherry Gottlieb
- Shirley Jackson, The Haunting of Hill House (1959)
- Gothic fairy tales from Angela Carter, The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories (1979)
- Toni Morrison, Beloved (1987)
Over a series of talks and collective close-readings, our expert tutor will explain:
- The distinctive literary features of a wide variety of key 20th Century horror short stories, novels and novel extracts
- How to close read these works to examine the literary techniques shaping their effects on us
- the broader historical context of these works including the cultural, social and political anxieties driving their representation of the supernatural, fantastic and sinister in the modern age
You will also have the chance to discuss and reflect on what you learn with other students and the tutor in seminars
Choose this course if you want to learn:
- more these important writers of horror in the 20th century and their unique approaches to the supernatural
- how to closely analyse these works and share what you find with others
- more about the broader historical context of the stories and how they restaged specific social anxieties of their time.
Who is this course for?
Anyone new to studying literature and interested in:
- The Gothic, horror, the supernatural and fantasy fiction, including its many generic descendants (thriller, mystery, science fiction)
- Modern 20th Century literature
- Modern cultural representations of identity
Qualifications/credits
10 credits at SCQF 7 / Level 1
Can contribute towards the attainment of Certificate or Diploma in Higher Education
Assessment
- One 1,500 word essay (75% of final grade)
- 5 min / 500 word presentation (25% of final grade)
Mode of study
This 10-week course will be delivered via 2-hour seminars led by a tutor.
Course materials will be provided via our online learning platform Moodle
Prospects
- Can begin your study of literature at university level
- contribute towards a Certificate or Diploma in Higher Education
- can inform your personal reading list and introduce you to some literary classics
Find out more
The University holds open days throughout the year where you can meet with staff to discuss our short course provision. Find out more about University of Glasgow open days
Available sessions
- Date: 16/01/2025 - 20/03/2025
Day: Thursday
Time: 19:00 - 21:00
Reference: Reading modern Gothic Horror writing(HOLD6)- Online live book now