Byron's Ghosts: The Spectral, the Spiritual and the Supernatural (Liverpool English Texts and Studies LUP)

Byron is rarely thought of as a spiritual writer. However, as this bold new collection shows, this is the result of an impoverished notion of the OCyspiritualOCO and a reflection of biased priorities in Romantic studies. Reflecting on the poetOCOs claim that OCyimmaterialismOCOs a serious matterOCO, this interdisciplinary collection of essays, from British and American scholars, calls into question the prevailing OCymaterialistOCO consensus, and offers a fresh and theoretically inflected reading of ByronOCOs poetry.ByronOCOs Ghosts is the first book-length examination of spectrality in ByronOCOs work. It is on the one hand concerned with what Mary Shelley in her essay OCyOn GhostsOCO refers to as OCythe true old-fashioned, foretelling, flitting, gliding ghostOCO, though it is also a postmodern response to the OCyspectral turnOCO in critical theory, which brings into view a range of phantom effects and OCynon-GothicOCO spectres. Focusing attention on these diverse modalities of the ghostly, the specially assembled essays complicate the popular image of Byron as a sceptical or OCyanti-RomanticOCO poet and reveal a great deal about his work that could not be uncovered in any other way." Byron Is Rarely Thought Of As A Spiritual Writer. However, As This Bold New Collection Shows, This Is The Result Of An Impoverished Notion Of The 'spiritual' And A Reflection Of Biased Priorities In Romantic Studies. Reflecting On The Poet's Claim That 'immaterialism's A Serious Matter', This Interdisciplinary Collection Of Essays, From British And American Scholars, Calls Into Question The Prevailing 'materialist' Consensus, And Offers A Fresh And Theoretically Inflected Reading Of Byron's Poetry. Byron's Ghosts Is The First Book-length Examination Of Spectrality In Byron's Work. It Is On The One Hand Concerned With What Mary Shelley In Her Essay 'on Ghosts' Refers To As 'the True Old-fashioned, Foretelling, Flitting, Gliding Ghost', Though It Is Also A Postmodern Response To The 'spectral Turn' In Critical Theory, Which Brings Into View A Range Of Phantom Effects And 'non-gothic' Spectres. Focusing Attention On These Diverse Modalities Of The Ghostly, The Specially Assembled Essays Complicate The Popular Image Of Byron As A Sceptical Or 'anti-romantic' Poet And Reveal A Great Deal About His Work That Could Not Be Uncovered In Any Other Way. Introduction: The Re-enchantment Of Romanticism -- Determining Unknown Modes Of Being : A Map Of Byron's Ghosts And Spirits / Bernard Beatty -- Shades Of Being : Byron And The Trespassing Of Ontology / Gavin Hopps -- Byron And The Noonday Demons / Mary Hurst -- Conjuration And Exorcism : Byron's Spectral Rhetoric / Dale Townshend -- Byron Avec Sade : Material And Spectral Violence In Childe Harold's Pilgrimage Canto Iv / Piya Pal-lapinski -- Twixt Life And Death : Childe Harold's Pilgrimage, Don Juan And The Sublime / Philip Shaw -- Byron, Ann Radcliffe And The Religious Implications Of The Explained Supernatural In Don Juan / Alison Milbank -- The Haunting Of Don Juan / Peter W. Graham -- Being Neither Here Nor There : Byron And The Art Of Flirtation / Corin Throsby -- Afterword: Blowing On A Dead Man's Embers : Byron's Biographical Ghost / Peter Allender. Edited By Gavin Hopps. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 228-239) And Index. Byron is rarely thought of as a spiritual writer. However, as this bold new collection shows, this is the result of an impoverished notion of the {u2018}spiritual{u2019} and a reflection of biased priorities in Romantic studies. Reflecting on the poet{u2019}s claim that {u2018}immaterialism{u2019}s a serious matter{u2019}, this interdisciplinary collection of essays, from British and American scholars, calls into question the prevailing {u2018}materialist{u2019} consensus, and offers a fresh and theoretically inflected reading of Byron{u2019}s poetry.Byron{u2019}s Ghosts is the first book-length examination of spectrality in Byron{u2019}s work. It is on the one hand concerned with what Mary Shelley in her essay {u2018}On Ghosts{u2019} refers to as {u2018}the true old-fashioned, foretelling, flitting, gliding ghost{u2019}, though it is also a postmodern response to the {u2018}spectral turn{u2019} in critical theory, which brings into view a range of phantom effects and {u2018}non-Gothic{u2019} spectres. Focusing attention on these diverse modalities of the ghostly, the specially assembled essays complicate the popular image of Byron as a sceptical or {u2018}anti-Romantic{u2019} poet and reveal a great deal about his work that could not be uncovered in any other way "Byron is rarely thought of as a spiritual writer. However, as this bold new collection shows, this is the result of an impoverished notion of the 'spiritual' and a reflection of biased priorities in Romantic studies. Reflecting on the poet's claim that 'immaterialism's a serious matter', this interdisciplinary collection of essays, from British and American scholars, calls into question the prevailing 'materialist' consensus, and offers a fresh and theoretically inflected reading of Byron's poetry. Byron's Ghosts is the first book-length examination of spectrality in Byron's work. It is on the one hand concerned with what Mary Shelley in her essay 'On Ghosts' refers to as 'the true old-fashioned, foretelling, flitting, gliding ghost', though it is also a postmodern response to the 'spectral turn' in critical theory, which brings into view a range of phantom effects and 'non-Gothic' spectres. Focusing attention on these diverse modalities of the ghostly, the specially assembled essays complicate the popular image of Byron as a sceptical or 'anti-Romantic' poet and reveal a great deal about his work that could not be uncovered in any other way"-- Page 4 of cover