Gender and Ventriloquism in Victorian and Neo-Victorian Fiction

Is ventriloquism just for dummies? What is at stake in neo-Victorian fiction's desire to 'talk back' to the nineteenth century? This book explores the sexual politics of dialogues between the nineteenth century and contemporary fiction, offering a new insight into the concept of ventriloquism as a textual and metatextual theme in literature.

'Definitions of neo-Victorianism within a theoretical space of performativity frequently fall into a conceptual trap which recycles the motifs of Judith Butler in an uncritical fashion. Helen Davies's book admirably challenges this position by revitalising the trope of ventriloquism in neo-Victorian fiction and criticism. This is a lively, provocative and engaging book that makes a stimulating contribution to the field. Davies's own scholarly voice is confident, articulate and alive, and her self-reflective comments on the position of the critic as reader make important points for future researchers.' - Mark Llewellyn, John Anderson Research Chair in English, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK

Autorentext
HELEN DAVIES is an associate lecturer in English Literature at Leeds Metropolitan University, UK. She has published articles on neo-Victorianism, contemporary women's writing and Oscar Wilde. She is currently on the executive committee of the Contemporary Women's Writing Association and is the associate editor on neo-Victorian literature and criticism for The Oscholars journal.

Inhalt
Introduction: The Victorians for dummies? Talking back to the Nineteenth Century Voices from the Past: Rethinking the Ventriloquial Metaphor Victorian Ventriloquists: Henry James and George Du Maurier Sirens and Svengalis: Nights at the Circus, Alias Grace and Clara Queering the Dummy/ventriloquist Dichotomy: Oscar Wilde and Ventriloquial Influence Sexual Re-scripting: Ventriloquial Repetitions and Transformations in Sarah Waters' Tipping the Velvet and Affinity Talking to Ourselves? Ventriloquial Criticism and Readership in Neo-Victorian Fiction Afterword: Voices beyond the Victorian era? Wesley Stace and Ventriloquism Notes Bibliography Index