Theorising Muriel Spark: Gender, Race, Deconstruction

by M. McQuillan

Overview

Drawing together a range of significant names in the field of contemporary literature and critical theory, this collection of essays explores the full range of Spark's literary output. It places particular emphasis on gender, psychoanalysis, post-colonial, and deconstructive reading strategies and concludes with a new interview with Muriel Spark

Author Biography: Martin McQuillan is Lecturer in Cultural Theory and Analysis, University of Leeds

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781349420087
Publisher:	Palgrave Macmillan UK
Publication date:	01/14/2014
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2002
Pages:	245
Product dimensions:	5.51(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

ELEANOR BYRNE Lecturer in English, Manchester Metropolitan University
BRYAN CHEYETTE Professor of English and Judaic Studies, University of Southampton
HELENE CIXOUS Director of Studies, Centre d'Etudes Feminines, Universite de Paris VIII
PATRICIA DUNCKER Senior Lecturer in English, University of Wales (Aberystwyth)
ALAN FREEMAN Lecturer in British Literature and Literary Theory, Yeditepe University, Istanbul
JEREMY IDLE Lecturer in English, Nene University College
WILLY MALEY Professor of Renaissance Literature, University of Glasgow
JUDITH ROOF Professor of English and Film Studies, Ann Arbour University, Michigan
NICHOLAS ROYLE Professor of English Literature, University of Sussex
SUSAN SELLERS Professor of English Literature, University of St Andrews
JULIAN WOLFREYS Associate Professor of English, University of Florida

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgements	vii
	Abbreviations	viii
	Notes on the Contributors	ix
	Introduction: 'I Don't Know Anything about Freud': Muriel Spark Meets Contemporary Criticism	1
Part I	Gender
1	Tales of Love: Narcissism and Idealization in The Public Image	35
2	The Future Perfect's Perfect Future: Spark's and Duras's Narrative Drive	49
3	The Suggestive Spectacle: Queer Passions in Bronte's Villette and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie	67
4	In Bed with Muriel Spark: Mourning, Metonymy and Autobiography	78
Part II	Race
5	Writing against Conversion: Muriel Spark the Gentile Jewess	95
6	Muriel Spark Shot in Africa	113
7	A Bit of the Other: Symposium, Futility and Scotland	127
Part III	Deconstruction
8	Muriel Spark's Uselessness	141
9	Muriel Spark's Mary Shelley: A Gothic and Liminal Life	155
10	Not to Deconstruct? Righting and Deference in Not to Disturb	170
11	Memento Mori	189
12	Grimacing Catholicism: Muriel Spark's Macabre Farce and Muriel Spark's Latest Novel: The Public Image	204
13	'The Same Informed Air': An Interview with Muriel Spark	210
	A Muriel Spark Bibliography	230
	Index	242

Editorial Reviews

'...these diverse and engaging essays offer much-needed depth and substance to Spark criticism...Highly recommended...' - S.Pathak, Choice

From the Publisher