Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu Criticism
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (1814-1873) is an esteemed figure in Gothic literature, noted for his innovative blend of supernatural elements and psychological depth, a deviation from traditional Gothic motifs. Though sometimes regarded as a minor Victorian novelist, Le Fanu's works are celebrated for their intricate character development and exploration of the subconscious, heralding a new era in mystery and horror fiction. His stories, characterized by evocative settings and atmospheric suspense, often utilize first-person narratives to enhance the psychological tension, as observed in his acclaimed story collection, In a Glass Darkly, which was critiqued for its emphasis on human wickedness over supernatural occurrences, as seen in In a Glass Darkly.
Born into a distinguished Dublin family, Le Fanu pursued an education at Trinity College but shifted his focus from law to literature and journalism. His early tales, such as "The Ghost and the Bonesetter," published in the Dublin University Magazine, marked the beginning of his lifelong association with periodicals. His career was punctuated by personal tragedy with the death of his wife, leading to a reclusive period during which he penned his most celebrated novels: The House by the Church-Yard, Wylder's Hand, Uncle Silas, and Guy Deverell. His works from this period are praised for their character-driven narratives and psychological insights, as noted by Michael H. Begnal.
Le Fanu's influence extends beyond Gothic literature, impacting the broader realm of mystery writing. His narrative techniques, such as the use of recurring characters like Dr. Hesselius, set a precedent for psychological exploration in fiction. Despite initial criticism of sensationalism with novels like Uncle Silas, Le Fanu's work has been reevaluated, recognizing his contribution to the integration of psychological and supernatural elements in literature, a synthesis that would later influence authors like Edgar Allan Poe, as discussed by Patrick Diskin.
Contents
- *Principal Works
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Essays
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In a Glass Darkly
(summary)
In the following excerpt, the anonymous critic unfavorably reviews Le Fanu's In a Glass Darkly, criticizing the author's presentation of his ghost stories as belonging to 'metaphysical speculation' or 'religious metaphysics.'
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A Forgotten Creator of Ghosts
(summary)
In the excerpt that follows, Kenton presents Le Fanu as an important supernatural fiction writer and suggests a renewed interest in Le Fanu based on connections between his and the Brontës' writings.
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An introduction to In a Glass Darkly
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Pritchett praises Le Fanu's supernatural stories, particularly "Green Tea."
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Coleridge's Cristabel and Le Fanu's Carmilla
(summary)
In the excerpt below, Nethercot points out parallels between Le Fanu's story 'Carmilla' and Coleridge's poem 'Christabel.' He suggests that 'Carmilla' contains many strange parallels to 'Christabel,' indicating that Le Fanu may have interpreted Coleridge's poem similarly or drawn from the same sources.
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Poe, Le Fanu and the Sealed Room Mystery
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Diskin suggests that Edgar Allan Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" was influenced by Le Fanu's earlier story "Passage in the Secret History of an Irish Countess."
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Le Fanu's 'The Room in the Dragon Volant'
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Scott praises the short story 'The Room in The Dragon Volant' and Le Fanu's blending of terror and love themes.
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LeFanu the Novelist
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Begnal praises Le Fanu's contributions to Irish literature, particularly the four novels Le Fanu wrote between 1863 and 1865. Emerging from the early years of LeFanu's seclusion were the four most powerful and consistent novels which he was to write: The House by the Churchyard (1863), Wylder's Hand and Uncle Silas (both published in book form in 1864), and Guy Deverell (1865). Though different in their intents, they display LeFanu the novelist at the high point of his career in the strengths of their characterizations and the masterful control of their plots. They are not merely thrillers or 'sensation novels'; rather, these works are attempts at insights into both the individual psyche and the spirit at the heart of his contemporary society. They rely for their strengths on the exploration of personality, rather than on a horrible or shocking situation. While it no doubt is true that LeFanu's power ebbs in some of his later work, and that more and more he relies on the grotesque for his effect, it is here in these early novels that he may claim a rightful place beside Dickens and Walter Scott.
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The House by the Churchyard: James Joyce and Sheridan Le Fanu
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Sullivan compares Le Fanu's novel The House by the Churchyard to Joyce's Finnegan's Wake, discussing the two writers' shared ideas and sympathies.
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Uncle Silas: A Habitation of Symbols
(summary)
In the following essay, originally published in 1980, McCormack offers a symbolic interpretation of Le Fanu's novel Uncle Silas.
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Misalliance and Anglo-Irish Tradition in Le Fanu's Uncle Silas
(summary)
In the essay below, Howes discusses Le Fanu's novel Uncle Silas in the context of nineteenth-century Anglo-Irish politics and history. This essay will map the historical and political peculiarities of the nineteenth-century Anglo-Irish heritage in Le Fanu's text, arguing that Uncle Silas structures its representations of Anglo-Irish political anxieties as anxieties about the construction of femininity and the regulation of female sexuality.
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In a Glass Darkly
(summary)
- Further Reading