JOURNAL ARTICLE

"A Pleasing Terror": Legends, Scholarly Authority, and the Folktoresque in the Ghost Stories of M. R. James.

  • Published In: Western Folklore, 2023, v. 82, n. 2. P. 165 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Evans, Timothy H. 3 of 3

Abstract

The influential English writer M. R. James (1862-1936) developed a repertoire of techniques for creating folkloresque ghost stories that seem authentically supernatural. These include the citation of (often invented) scholarly sources. details of (often invented) material culture and landscape, and reference to (often invented) oral tradition. James's stories are literary (folkloresque) counterparts to supernatural legends, creating their sense of credibility with techniques that are similar to those used to create a sense of truth®lness in legends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Western Folklore. 2023/04, Vol. 82, Issue 2, p165
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:0043-373X
  • Accession Number:162990817
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Western Folklore is the property of Western States Folklore Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.