This course aims to examine the popular media phenomenon of the antebellum American city mysteries (1840s – 1860). The city mysteries, penned and published by authors such as George Lippard, George Thompson, and Ned Buntline, may be considered 'low brow' popular fiction within the realm of dime novels and penny dreadfuls, but hold critical and radical notions concerning local and national politics. These "porno gothic" novels, as some scholars have called them, utilize graphic descriptions of sex and violence, drawing their readers in with sensationalism and narrative techniques of serial storytelling. In this course we will examine the foundations of serial storytelling within the context of 19th century American fiction, whilst considering the socio-political implications of the city mystery genre overall. |
- Dozent/in: Lisanna Wiele