The Edinburgh Companion to Fin-de-Siècle Literature, Culture and the Arts

Josephine M. Guy

Published by Edinburgh University Press 2017

The Edinburgh Companion to Fin-de-Siècle Literature, Culture and the Arts

Josephine M. Guy

In the series Edinburgh Companions to Literature and the Humanities

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781474408929

Overview
Contents

About this book

Explores the significance of the British fin de siècle in Scotland and Ireland, as well as some regional cities in England

The late nineteenth-century fin de siècle has proved an enduringly fascinating moment in literary and cultural history. It is associated with the emergence of intriguing figures—such as the 'new woman' and 'uranian'; with contradictory impulses—of decadence and decay on the one hand, and of experiment and renewal, on the other; as well as with unprecedented intercultural exchange, especially between Britain and France. The 22 newly-commissioned essays collected here re-examine some of the key concepts taken to define the fin de siècle, while also introducing hitherto overlooked cultural phenomena into the frame, such as the importance of humanitarianism. The impact of recent research in material culture is explored, particularly how the history of the book and the history of performance culture is changing our understanding of this period. A wide range of cultural activities is discussed—from participation in avant-garde theatre to interior decoration and from the writing of poetry to political and religious activism. Together, the essays provide new scholarly insights into British fin de siècle and enrich our understanding of this complex period, while paying particular attention to the importance of regionalism.

Key Features

Contains a re-examination of some of the key concepts taken to define the fin de siècle, such as Decadence, while also introducing new concepts into the frame, such as the importance, at the time, of humanitarianis
Examines the significance of the fin de siècle in Scotland and Ireland, as well as in some regions of England
Examines how attention to material culture, and particularly to the history of the book and the history of performance culture, is changing our understanding of this period
Discusses a range of cultural activities, from participation in avant-garde theatre to interior decoration, and from the writing of poetry to political and religious activism

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Figures and Plates Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Acknowledgements Publicly Available Download PDF	x
Introduction Josephine M. Guy Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
I. Concepts
1 Decadence and Institutions of Modernism in the American Literary Field of the 1910s and 1920s Kirsten MacLeod Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	23
2 The Matter of Form: Fin-de-Siècle Illustrated Poetry and the Periodical Press Alison Chapman Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	46
3 Curious Intricacies: Some Versions of City Writing at the Fin de Siècle Nick Freeman Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	70
4 Gothic Aesthetics Andrew Smith Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	90
5 Catholicism and the Fin de Siècle Miriam Elizabeth Burstein Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	106
6 Secularism and Secularisation at the Fin de Siècle Sara Lyons Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	124
7 The Claims of Kinship: Humanitarian Ideals at the Century’s End John Stokes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	146
8 Information in the 1890s: Technological, Journalistic, Imperial, Occult Richard Menke Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	162
II. Places
9 Fin-de-Siècle Scotland Caroline McCracken-Flesher Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	179
10 The Irish Fin de Siècle Anne Markey Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	196
11 Providing an Ideal Home: Paternalism and Persuasion at Bournville 1895–1914 Margaret Ponsonby Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	215
12 Theatre in the Provinces at the Fin de Siècle: Beyond Outcast London Jo Robinson Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	229
13 ‘Truth About Russia’: Russia in Britain at the Fin de Siècle Anna Vaninskaya Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	244
14 Aestheticism in Italy: A New Sense of Place Stefano Evangelista Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	263
III. Identities: Female
15 The 1890s Woman Jad Adams Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	281
16 When a Bestselling Author and a West End Actress Made a Spiritualist Performance: Collaboration, Networks and Theatre at the Fin de Siècle Catherine indso Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	301
17 Intergenerational Collaboration and Conflict: Women’s Periodicals at the Fin de Siècle Alexis Easley Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	321
18 Lily Montagu and Liberal Judaism Richa Dwor Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	345
19 American Nervousness: Motherhood and ‘The Mental Activity of Women’ in the Era of Sexual Anarchy Emily Coit Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	361
IV. Identities: Male
20 German and British Sexual Sciences Across Disciplines at the Fin de Siècle: ‘Homosexuals’, ‘Inverts’ and ‘Uranians’ Ina Linge Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	381
21 The Anglo-African Adventure Novel in the 1890s Gerald Monsman Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	401
22 The Fin-de-Siècle Detective: ‘But My Job Don’t End There’ Caroline Reitz Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	425
List of Contributors Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	440
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	445
Plates Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	463

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 464
Illustrations
- Other: 28 B/W illustrations 11 colour illustrations
Keywords: Literary Studies

eBook

Published: November 8, 2017
ISBN: 9781474408929