Back

'Its West End and Its Whitechapel': Jack the Ripper and Gothic London in John Francis Brewer's The Curse upon Mitre Square: A.D. 1530–1888 (1888).

  • Published In: Gothic Studies, 2024, v. 26, n. 1. P. 52 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Patterson, Ellesse 3 of 3

Abstract

This article analyses the cultural implications of the representation of Jack the Ripper in John Francis Brewer's novel The Curse upon Mitre Square: A.D. 1530–1888 (1888). By examining how Brewer's Ripper is positioned as a curse on London itself, this article maps the impact of the killer's crimes on subsequent depictions of gothic London and its terrors. It further explores how the religious and national tensions surrounding the killer influenced Brewer's depiction of Jack the Ripper as a British Catholic, contributing to a departure from both earlier portrayals of gothic villains as largely foreign and contemporary speculation that the actual Ripper was Jewish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Gothic Studies. 2024/03, Vol. 26, Issue 1, p52
  • Document Type:Literary Criticism
  • Subject Area:Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:1362-7937
  • DOI:10.3366/gothic.2024.0185
  • Accession Number:176075474
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Gothic Studies is the property of Edinburgh University Press 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.