1alaudacorax
I was making a post on M. R. James a short while ago and it struck me as odd that we don't have a thread on him, seeing as how frequently he crops up here.
Then I wondered, "Hang on ... is he really a writer of Gothic literature ... seeing as he's primarily noted as a ghost story writer who, in the words of Wikipedia, 'redefined the ghost story for the new century by abandoning many of the formal Gothic clichés of his predecessors and using more realistic contemporary settings.'"
So then I was puzzled as to whether he really deserved a thread here after all. I thought I'd better make a thread and ask about it. I'll call it 'M. R. James' ...
Then I wondered, "Hang on ... is he really a writer of Gothic literature ... seeing as he's primarily noted as a ghost story writer who, in the words of Wikipedia, 'redefined the ghost story for the new century by abandoning many of the formal Gothic clichés of his predecessors and using more realistic contemporary settings.'"
So then I was puzzled as to whether he really deserved a thread here after all. I thought I'd better make a thread and ask about it. I'll call it 'M. R. James' ...
2pgmcc
Interesting question.
Thinking over some of his stories I can see some Gothic elements in a few of them. For example, “Lost Hearts” has a house with a secret. However, it moves quickly into ghost territory.
I would see an argument for considering some of his stories as hybrid or cross-over regarding Gothic and ghost story.
This promises to be an interesting discussion and is likely to prompt my long overdue reread of James’s stories.
Thinking over some of his stories I can see some Gothic elements in a few of them. For example, “Lost Hearts” has a house with a secret. However, it moves quickly into ghost territory.
I would see an argument for considering some of his stories as hybrid or cross-over regarding Gothic and ghost story.
This promises to be an interesting discussion and is likely to prompt my long overdue reread of James’s stories.
3housefulofpaper
My (very unscientific) gut feeling is that James isn't Gothic. I think it's the general tone of the stories rather than the subject matter. I came his stories, as near as I can remember - it must be nearly 30 years ago - from the Sherlock Holmes canon and Jorge Luis Borges. When I read other classic ghost story writers - not even Gothics as such - I didn't immediately come around to the heightened emotion and the family secrets - all the "Gothic clichés in fact, but missed James' donnish detachment and understatement.
4Rembetis
M R James is often considered as being a gothic writer, whether right or wrong. Over on the M R James Appreciation Page on Facebook, there is one teacher who teaches James in higher education as part of his 'Gothic' class. I also note that James is in some Gothic anthologies (for example 'Oh Whistle and I'll Come to you, My Lad' and 'The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance' are included in the 2022 publication 'Christmas Gothic Short Stories: Anthology of New and Classic Tales'). Part of the problem is probably the definition of 'gothic'. What does it necessarily include? What does it necessarily exclude? Are there any blurred lines? (And don't look to me for answers).
My own two pence, I can see the argument that James isn't gothic - there is no heightened emotion, no romanticism, he avoids the typical gothic tropes. However, on the other hand, his material is supernatural; it sometimes involves curses attached to objects or places; there is an atmosphere of mystery and suspense; there are descriptions of gloom and decay; the settings are sometimes desolate; and, although his churches are described in a matter of fact way, they are often as scary as Dracula's castle (to me). So, I think there are gothic elements in his work. Some of his pieces do read like gothic literature to me, particularly 'Count Magnus'.
My own two pence, I can see the argument that James isn't gothic - there is no heightened emotion, no romanticism, he avoids the typical gothic tropes. However, on the other hand, his material is supernatural; it sometimes involves curses attached to objects or places; there is an atmosphere of mystery and suspense; there are descriptions of gloom and decay; the settings are sometimes desolate; and, although his churches are described in a matter of fact way, they are often as scary as Dracula's castle (to me). So, I think there are gothic elements in his work. Some of his pieces do read like gothic literature to me, particularly 'Count Magnus'.
