Charles Dickens and the Ghost Story

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 1996 im Fachbereich Anglistik - Literatur Veranstaltung: Proseminar `British Short Stories` Sprache: Deutsch Abstract: Since having read about Old Marley's apparitions in A Christmas Carol we have been fascinated by Dickens' way of creating suspense and a ghost-like atmosphere. A Christmas Carol is probably one of his best known ghost stories but it is however not his first. Dickens' earliest stories were inset tales in the Pickwick Papers first published in 1837. In this paper we first of all have a flashback on Dickens' life and works. Also we will focus on the ghost story itself and explain what reasons made Dickens write such stories and how he actually developed his skills. In a last step we are eventually going to have a closer look at two of his works - The Signalman and A Madman's Manuscript. With the help of those stories similarities and differences will be analysed and typical elements of a ghost story pointed out. [...]