Monstrous Women and Ecofeminism in the Victorian Gothic, 1837–1871

Nicole C. Dittmer's book "Monstrous Women and Ecofeminism" reimagines the Gothic female "monster" figure in early-to-mid-Victorian literature, challenging dualism and exposing female monstrosities as material and semiotic figurations. It identifies how women in the Victorian Gothic are informed by the entanglement of immaterial discourses and material conditions, transforming them into "wild" and "monstrous" representations.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 238 pages
Publication date: 15 May 2024
Publisher: Lexington Books

Nicole C. Dittmer presents a fresh perspective on the iconic Gothic female "monster" figure in early-to-mid-Victorian literature. Despite the extensive scholarship surrounding monstrosities, these pre-fin-de-siècle figurations have often been overlooked or interpreted as fragmented representations of mind and body, creating a perceived divide between culture and nature. In her book, "Monstrous Women and Ecofeminism," Dittmer employs monism to differentiate from and challenge this dualistic perspective, harmonizing the material and immaterial aspects of fictional women and blurring the boundaries between nature and culture. By drawing upon intertextual disciplines such as medical sciences, ecofeminism, and fiction, she unveils the material and semiotic dimensions of female monstrosities. This book highlights how women in the Victorian Gothic are shaped by the intricate interplay of immaterial discourses and material conditions. When suppressed by societal norms, the monistic mind-body of the material-semiotic figure responds and disrupts ontological processes, transforming women into "wild" and "monstrous" representations.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781666900811