This session seeks papers that bridge discussions of eighteenth-century Gothic literature with discussions of the Gothic’s role in contemporary literature and culture. Questions explored may include (but are not limited to) the following: What does the eighteenth-century Gothic tell us about our own contemporary Gothic moment? Can studies of the contemporary Gothic shed new light on our understanding of the Gothic's eighteenth-century origins? Are we guilty of dehistoricization if we apply the term “Gothic” to contemporary uncanny or scary texts? How have recent depictions of the eighteenth century as Gothic (in Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire novels and films, in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, in certain entries in the Assassin’s Creed game series, etc.) influenced popular perceptions of the period?

Please send abstracts to Geremy Carnes at GCarnes@lindenwood.edu no later than Sept. 15, 2019.