Buy The Dark Descent by Tony Magistrale - Bookswagon
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Home > Biographies & Memoire > Literature: history and criticism > Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers > The Dark Descent: Essays Defining Stephen King's Horrorscape(Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy)
The Dark Descent: Essays Defining Stephen King's Horrorscape(Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy)

The Dark Descent: Essays Defining Stephen King's Horrorscape(Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy)


     0     
5
4
3
2
1



International Edition


X
About the Book

Surely one of America's most popular novelists, Stephen King has only recently begun to receive serious attention from scholars and literary critics. The Dark Descent assembles fifteen illuminating original essays that consider King from a variety of intellectual orientations, addressing the major novels and central thematic concerns that represent King's contributions to American letters and elevating King scholarship to a new level of critical discourse. This volume places King firmly within the canon of contemporary American fiction. The essayists are concerned with explicating the meanings of individual narratives and creating critical contexts for their interpretion. While covering a broad range of his works and using multiple theoretical approaches--including reader-response, mythic, psychoanalytic, and structuralist criticism--to offer insights into King's fiction, most of the essayists reflect on one of two central theses: that King's body of literature may be seen as having been deeply influenced by the mainstream traditions of nineteenth- and twentieth-century American and European fictions, and that the narratives may be read as profound commentary on the major political and social tensions shaping contemporary American life. King's supernatural horrors reflect actual horrors, and his compelling style makes art out of horror fiction. A King chronology, bibliography and an expository introduction flank the analytical essays.

Table of Contents:
Foreword by Joseph A. Citro Chronology Defining King's Horrorscape: An Introduction by Tony Magistrale The Masks of the Goddess: The Unfolding of the Female Archetype in Stephen King's CARRIE by Greg Weller Partners in the DANSE: Women in Stephen King's Fiction by Mary Pharr Complex, Archetype, and Primal Fear: King's Use of Fairy Tales in THE SHINING by Ronald T. Curran The Three Genres of THE STAND by Edwin F. Casebeer Some Ways of Reading THE DEAD ZONE by Michael N. Stanton Fear and Pity: Tragic Horror in King's PET SEMATARY by Leonard Mustazza The Mythic Journey in "The Body" by Arthur W. Biddle "Everybody Pays . . . Even for Things They Didn't Do": Stephen King's Pay-out in the Bachman Novels by James F. Smith Science, Politics, and the Epic Imagination: THE TALISMAN by Tony Magistrale A Clockwork Evil: Guilt and Coincidence in "The Monkey" by Gene Doty Playing the Heavy: Weight, Appetite, and Embodiment in Three Novels by Stephen King by Bernadette Bosky Riddle Game: Stephen King's Metafictive Dialogue by Jeanne Campbell Reesman Stephen King Reading William Faulkner: Memory, Desire, and Time in the Making of IT by Mary Jane Dickerson "The Face of Mr. Flip": Homophobia in the Horror of Stephen King by Douglas Keesey Reading, Writing and Interpreting: Stephen King's MISERY by Lauri Berkenkamp A Stephen King Bibliography Index

About the Author :
TONY MAGISTRALE is Associate Professor of English at the University of Vermont, where he teaches a course on the novels of Stephen King. His previous publications on King include Landscape of Fear: Stephen King's American Gothic, and he is at work on another book tentatively titled Stephen King, The Second Decade: Danse Macabre to The Dark Tower.

Review :
"The Dark Descent is not a descent at all. Here, as in his other fine books, Tony Magistrale's scholarship has lifted the focus on King's work high above reviewer rhetoric and petty critical squabbles. These essays transcend the critical ladder and meet King on his own ground. Magistrale has editorially sustained purity of literary discourse that is wonderfully free of judgment."-Joseph A. Citro, horror writer --from the foreword ?. . . reigning King guru Tony Magistrale has pulled off something of a coup, publishing in close proximity one of the best book-length studies and the best essay collection devoted to King's fiction.?-Necrofile ?This book represents a significant contribution to the study of Stephen King and his work and should prove itself useful. Such intelligent critical interest applied to any author of science fiction or fantasy is especially welcome, ?-Extrapolation ?With three respected studies of Stephen King already published, Tony Magistrale has become the strongest voice among those who argue the respectability of King's fiction. In this volume he has selected the best essays from the vast body of recent King scholarship to support his contention that King is not only one of America's most popular writers, but he is also one of its best. The essays argue collectively that King's works are deeply influenced by the mainstream traditions of 19th- and 20th-century American and European fiction and are a commentary illustrative of the major political and social tensions shaping contemporary American life. They argue further, with limited success, that King's works rely on a rich literary tradition that includes such respected genres as the gothic and classical Greek tragedy. Remarkably effective in this argument are G. Weller's "The Masks of the Godden," E. Casebeer's "The Three Genres of The Stand," and R. Curran's "Complex, Archetype, and Primal Fear."?-Choice ." . . reigning King guru Tony Magistrale has pulled off something of a coup, publishing in close proximity one of the best book-length studies and the best essay collection devoted to King's fiction."-Necrofile "This book represents a significant contribution to the study of Stephen King and his work and should prove itself useful. Such intelligent critical interest applied to any author of science fiction or fantasy is especially welcome,"-Extrapolation "With three respected studies of Stephen King already published, Tony Magistrale has become the strongest voice among those who argue the respectability of King's fiction. In this volume he has selected the best essays from the vast body of recent King scholarship to support his contention that King is not only one of America's most popular writers, but he is also one of its best. The essays argue collectively that King's works are deeply influenced by the mainstream traditions of 19th- and 20th-century American and European fiction and are a commentary illustrative of the major political and social tensions shaping contemporary American life. They argue further, with limited success, that King's works rely on a rich literary tradition that includes such respected genres as the gothic and classical Greek tragedy. Remarkably effective in this argument are G. Weller's "The Masks of the Godden," E. Casebeer's "The Three Genres of The Stand," and R. Curran's "Complex, Archetype, and Primal Fear.""-Choice


Best Sellers


Product Details
  • ISBN-13: 9780313272974
  • Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
  • Publisher Imprint: Praeger Publishers Inc
  • Height: 235 mm
  • No of Pages: 248
  • Sub Title: Essays Defining Stephen King's Horrorscape
  • Width: 156 mm
  • ISBN-10: 0313272972
  • Publisher Date: 27 Mar 1992
  • Binding: Hardback
  • Language: English
  • Series Title: Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy
  • Weight: 575 gr


Similar Products

Add Photo
Add Photo

Customer Reviews

REVIEWS      0     
Click Here To Be The First to Review this Product
The Dark Descent: Essays Defining Stephen King's Horrorscape(Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy)
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC -
The Dark Descent: Essays Defining Stephen King's Horrorscape(Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy)
Writing guidlines
We want to publish your review, so please:
  • keep your review on the product. Review's that defame author's character will be rejected.
  • Keep your review focused on the product.
  • Avoid writing about customer service. contact us instead if you have issue requiring immediate attention.
  • Refrain from mentioning competitors or the specific price you paid for the product.
  • Do not include any personally identifiable information, such as full names.

The Dark Descent: Essays Defining Stephen King's Horrorscape(Contributions to the Study of Science Fiction and Fantasy)

Required fields are marked with *

Review Title*
Review
    Add Photo Add up to 6 photos
    Would you recommend this product to a friend?
    Tag this Book Read more
    Does your review contain spoilers?
    What type of reader best describes you?
    I agree to the terms & conditions
    You may receive emails regarding this submission. Any emails will include the ability to opt-out of future communications.

    CUSTOMER RATINGS AND REVIEWS AND QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TERMS OF USE

    These Terms of Use govern your conduct associated with the Customer Ratings and Reviews and/or Questions and Answers service offered by Bookswagon (the "CRR Service").


    By submitting any content to Bookswagon, you guarantee that:
    • You are the sole author and owner of the intellectual property rights in the content;
    • All "moral rights" that you may have in such content have been voluntarily waived by you;
    • All content that you post is accurate;
    • You are at least 13 years old;
    • Use of the content you supply does not violate these Terms of Use and will not cause injury to any person or entity.
    You further agree that you may not submit any content:
    • That is known by you to be false, inaccurate or misleading;
    • That infringes any third party's copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret or other proprietary rights or rights of publicity or privacy;
    • That violates any law, statute, ordinance or regulation (including, but not limited to, those governing, consumer protection, unfair competition, anti-discrimination or false advertising);
    • That is, or may reasonably be considered to be, defamatory, libelous, hateful, racially or religiously biased or offensive, unlawfully threatening or unlawfully harassing to any individual, partnership or corporation;
    • For which you were compensated or granted any consideration by any unapproved third party;
    • That includes any information that references other websites, addresses, email addresses, contact information or phone numbers;
    • That contains any computer viruses, worms or other potentially damaging computer programs or files.
    You agree to indemnify and hold Bookswagon (and its officers, directors, agents, subsidiaries, joint ventures, employees and third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.), harmless from all claims, demands, and damages (actual and consequential) of every kind and nature, known and unknown including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising out of a breach of your representations and warranties set forth above, or your violation of any law or the rights of a third party.


    For any content that you submit, you grant Bookswagon a perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free, transferable right and license to use, copy, modify, delete in its entirety, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from and/or sell, transfer, and/or distribute such content and/or incorporate such content into any form, medium or technology throughout the world without compensation to you. Additionally,  Bookswagon may transfer or share any personal information that you submit with its third-party service providers, including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc. in accordance with  Privacy Policy


    All content that you submit may be used at Bookswagon's sole discretion. Bookswagon reserves the right to change, condense, withhold publication, remove or delete any content on Bookswagon's website that Bookswagon deems, in its sole discretion, to violate the content guidelines or any other provision of these Terms of Use.  Bookswagon does not guarantee that you will have any recourse through Bookswagon to edit or delete any content you have submitted. Ratings and written comments are generally posted within two to four business days. However, Bookswagon reserves the right to remove or to refuse to post any submission to the extent authorized by law. You acknowledge that you, not Bookswagon, are responsible for the contents of your submission. None of the content that you submit shall be subject to any obligation of confidence on the part of Bookswagon, its agents, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners or third party service providers (including but not limited to Bazaarvoice, Inc.)and their respective directors, officers and employees.

    Accept

    Fresh on the Shelf


    Inspired by your browsing history


    Your review has been submitted!

    You've already reviewed this product!