Wilkie Collins in Context

Celebrating the 200th anniversary of Wilkie Collins's birth, this collection illuminates his broad influence on nineteenth-century culture.

William Baker (Edited by), Richard Nemesvari (Edited by)

9781316510575, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 10 August 2023

346 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.2 cm, 0.734 kg

This collection of essays by international scholars celebrates the 200th anniversary of Wilkie Collins's birth by exploring his unconventional life alongside his works, critical responses to his writings and their afterlife, and the literary and cultural contexts which shaped his fiction. Topics discussed include gender, science and medicine, music, law, race and empire, media adaptations, neo-Victorianism, disability, and ethics. Along with an analysis of his novels, the essays included also recognize the importance of his short stories, journalism, and contributions to Victorian theatre, most notably illuminating the strong connections between sensation fiction and melodrama, as well as exploring his influence on film and TV. Engaging with yet also delving far beyond the famous novels, this volume promotes awareness of Collins' remarkable and diverse writerly achievements and paints a vivid portrait of an author whose fluctuating reputation among contemporary critics stands in stark contrast to his immense and still-enduring popularity.

Part I. Life and Works: 1. Life Melisa Klimaszewski
2. Letters William Baker, Andrew Gasson, and Graham Law
3. Publishers and editions Andrew Gasson
4. Early novels Christopher Pittard
5. Middle novels Tara MacDonald
6. Late novels Maria K. Bachman
7. Shorter fiction Graham Law
8. Journalism Deborah Wynne
9. Drama Caroline Radcliffe
Part II. Critical Response and Afterlife: 10. Contemporary James Aaron Green
11. After death to T. S. Eliot James Aaron Green
12. T. S. Eliot to 1990 Richard Nemesvari
13. 1990 to the present Tim Dolin and Lucy Dougan
14. Modern media adaptations Alexis Weedon
15. Neo-victorianism Jessica Cox
Part III. Contexts: Literary: 16. Wilkie Collins's library William Baker
17. Wilkie collins and serialization Catherine Delafield
18. Wilkie Collins and sensation fiction Richard Nemesvari
19. Wilkie Collins and Scott Lizhen Chen
20. Wilkie Collins and Dickens Emily Bell
21. Wilkie Collins, Mary Braddon, and other women writers Jeanette Roberts Shumaker
Part IV. Contexts: Cultural and Social: 22. Money Paul Lewis
23. Gender Tamara S. Wagner
24. Science and medicine Laurence Talairach
25. Language Melissa Raines
26. Collins and the artists Leonee Ormond
27. Music Allan W. Atlas
28. Politics Patricia Cove
29. Law Anne-Marie Beller
30.Geography and places Susan R. Hanes
31. Victorian environments Mark Frost
32. Race and empire Melisa Klimaszewski
33. Class status and social identity Jenny Bourne Taylor
34. Disability Heather Tilley
35. Ethics Biwu Shang
Further Reading
Index.

Subject Areas: Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900 [DSBF]