More First Wave Gothic Writing. First Wave Gothic List 2
Explore our curated list of First Wave Gothic writing with essential books from Gothic List Wave 2. Discover classic tales that defined the genre.
Book
Manfroné, Or, The One-handed Monk
by Mary Anne Radcliffe
"Manfrone; or, The One-Handed Monk" (1809) opens with one of the most unforgettable scenes in all of Gothic literature when a lascivious monk enters the lovely Rosalina's room in an attempt to rape her, but suffers the gruesome severing of his hand when he is caught in the act. Yet other dangers await Rosalina: her father, the haughty Duca di Rodolpho is determined to marry her to the cruel Prince di Manfrone and imprisons her true love, Montalto, in the dungeons of his castle. And then there is the mysterious monk Grimaldi, who seems to be an ally of the Duca. What are his inscrutable plans, and is he trying to aid Rosalina or destroy her? One of the most popular of Gothic novels, "Manfrone" went through numerous editions during the 19th century and was often erroneously attributed to Ann Radcliffe. This edition includes an essay by Dale Townshend exploring the authorship of the novel as well as explanatory notes.
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Ivanhoe
by Sir Walter Scott
"Fight on, brave knights! Man dies, but glory lives!" Banished from England for seeking to marry against his father's wishes, Ivanhoe joins Richard the Lion Heart on a crusade in the Holy Land. On his return, his passionate desire is to be reunited with the beautiful but forbidden lady Rowena, but he soon finds himself playing a more dangerous game as he is drawn into a bitter power struggle between the noble King Richard and his evil and scheming brother John. The first of Scott's novels to address a purely English subject, Ivanhoe is set in a highly romanticized medieval world of tournaments and sieges, chivalry and adventure where dispossessed Saxons are pitted against their Norman overlords, and where the historical and fictional seamlessly merge. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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The Last Man
by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
The Last Man is Mary Shelley's apocalyptic fantasy of the end of human civilisation. Set in the late twenty-first century, the novel unfolds a sombre and pessimistic vision of mankind confronting inevitable destruction. Interwoven with her futuristic theme, Mary Shelley incorporates idealised portraits of Shelley and Byron, yet rejects Romanticism and its faith in art and nature.
