The grotesque in contemporary British fiction reveals the extent to which the grotesque endures as a dominant artistic mode in British fiction and presents a new way of understanding six authors who have been at the forefront of British literature over the past four decades.
Starting with a sophisticated exploration of the historical development of the grotesque in literature, the book outlines the aesthetic trajectories of Angela Carter, Martin Amis, Ian Mc Ewan, Iain Banks, Will Self and Toby Litt and offers detailed critical readings of key works of modern fiction including The Bloody Chamber (1979), Money (1984), The Child in Time (1987), The Wasp Factory (1984), Great Apes (1997) and Ghost Story (2004). The book shows how the grotesque continues to be a powerful force in contemporary writing and provides an illuminating picture of often controversial aspects of recent fiction.
Table of Content
Introduction
1. The contemporary British grotesque
2. Angela Carter: The play’s the thing
3. Martin Amis: The limits of comedy
4. Ian Mc Ewan: Below the waves
5. Iain Banks: Improbable possibilities
6. Will Self: Under the influence
7. Toby Litt: Haunted by the grotesque
Conclusion
Index
About the author
Robert Duggan is Senior Lecturer in Modern and Contemporary Literature at the University of Central Lancashire
More ebooks from the same author(s) / Editor
10,468 Ebooks in this category
