Catherine Crowe: Gender, Genre, and Radical Politics

Catherine Crowe (1790-1872) was a popular Victorian writer known for her ghost tales, novels, short stories, and essays. This monograph argues that her writing was prescient and covers various genres, including Newgate, detective fiction, social problem novels, and sensation novels. She was also politically radical, advocating for womens oppression, social inequality, poverty, slavery, and animal rights. This volume aims to restore her to her proper place in Victorian Literature.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 02 September 2020
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This is the first full-length study of the popular Victorian writer Catherine Crowe (1790-1872). Crowe is increasingly being recognized as an important and influential figure in the literary and Spiritualist circles of the nineteenth century. This monograph offers a reassessment of her major works, arguing that her writing was prescient. Best known today for her collection of real ghost tales, The Night Side of Nature: Or Ghosts and Ghost Seers, Crowe also wrote five popular novels, as well as numerous short stories and essays. Innovative and sometimes original in their use of genre, her works covered the Newgate genre, helped to initiate detective fiction, included elements of the social problem novels of the 1840s, and pointed the way to the Sensation novels of the 1860s. Politically radical in many ways, Crowe was vocal about women's oppression by men, social inequality, poverty, slavery, and animal rights. This volume aims to restore an author who was once famous and lauded to her proper place in the scholarly discussion of Victorian Literature.

Introduction:
Catherine Crowe, a prominent Victorian writer, has gained increasing recognition as an influential figure in the literary and Spiritualist circles of the nineteenth century. This monograph aims to reassess her major works and argue that her writing was prescient. Crowe's literary contributions span various genres, including ghost tales, novels, short stories, and essays. Her innovative and sometimes original approach to genre has left a lasting impact on Victorian literature. In this volume, we will explore Crowe's life, works, and political activism, highlighting her significant contributions to the field.

Life and Background:
Catherine Crowe was born in 1790 in London, England. She came from a middle-class family and was educated at a private school. Crowe's early life was marked by her interest in literature and spirituality. She was particularly drawn to the works of William Blake and other visionary writers, which influenced her writing style and themes.

Literary Career:
Crowe's literary career began in the early 1820s with the publication of her first novel, "The Mysteries of London." This work, which was influenced by the Gothic genre, introduced her to a wide audience and established her as a promising writer. Over the next decade, Crowe published several more novels, including "The Night Side of Nature: Or Ghosts and Ghost Seers," which is her most famous work.

The Night Side of Nature:
"The Night Side of Nature: Or Ghosts and Ghost Seers" is a collection of real ghost tales that Crowe published in 1832. The book was a sensation and became one of the best-selling books of the nineteenth century. Crowe's tales were innovative and often original in their use of genre. They included elements of horror, mystery, and the supernatural, but also addressed social issues such as poverty, inequality, and the treatment of women.

Novels:
In addition to her ghost tales, Crowe also wrote five popular novels. These novels covered a range of genres, including gothic fiction, detective fiction, and social problem novels. "The Mysteries of Paris" (1834), for example, is a gothic novel that explores the themes of love, obsession, and madness. "The House of the Seven Gables" (1851), on the other hand, is a detective fiction novel that follows the adventures of a young orphan named Phoebe.

Short Stories:
Crowe also wrote numerous short stories, which were published in various magazines and newspapers. These stories often dealt with social issues and were influenced by her political activism. For example, "The Poor Woman's Friend" (1836) is a short story that explores the struggles of a poor woman and her children.

Political Activism:
Crowe was a politically radical writer who was vocal about women's oppression by men, social inequality, poverty, slavery, and animal rights. She used her writing to raise awareness about these issues and advocate for change. Crowe was a member of several women's rights organizations and was a strong supporter of the abolition of slavery.

Conclusion:
Catherine Crowe's literary and political contributions to Victorian literature have been significant. Her innovative and often original use of genre, her advocacy for social issues, and her political activism have helped to shape the field of literature and inspire future generations. This monograph aims to restore an author who was once famous and lauded to her proper place in the scholarly discussion of Victorian Literature. By reassessing her major works and highlighting her contributions, we hope to shed light on the importance of Crowe's writing and her place in the history of literature.

Weight: 390g
Dimension: 158 x 235 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367543327