An essential quick-reference book for students of Gothic literature, theatre and literary theory Key Concepts in the Gothic provides a one-stop resource which details and defines, in accessible language, those contexts essential for the study of the Gothic in all periods and media. The volume is divided into three sections: Concepts and Terms; Theories of the Gothic; and Key Fictional Texts. Bibliographies are provided with the last two sections. The book clearly explains the critical terms – from ‘Ab-human’ to ‘Zombie’ – as well as the main theories, including ecocriticism, queer theory and Postcolonial theory, which any student of the Gothic is likely to encounter. This book will be a reliable companion for students of the genre from school and through university. Key Features Covers the Gothic from the eighteenth century to the presentProvides a comprehensive survey not just of movements and theories but also of the essential terminology used in Gothic StudiesA reference work for those working with genres inflected by the Gothic, such as Romanticism, theatre studies and crime writingProvides a readily accessible resource for developing further research

Professor Hughes has created an indispensible volume for anyone interested in Gothic studies. His scholarship is rich and elegant. This is a work to be used and cherished and frequently revisited, and will not be outgrown in years of use. * Charles L. Crow, Bowling Green State University *

William Hughes was Professor of Literature in English at the University of Macau and is currently an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of East Anglia. He is a Past President of the International Gothic Association and the author or editor of more than 20 books including Key Concepts in Victorian Studies (2023), The Dome of Thought: Phrenology and the Nineteenth Century Popular Imagination (2022) and Key Concepts in the Gothic (2018).