For Calvino 'the fantastic tale is one of the most characteristic forms of narrative produced by the 19th century, and one that is still very significant for us, expressing so much about the inner life of individuals and the collective symbols that haunt us. To our modern sensibility the supernatural element at the heart of these strange stories always seems to be charged with meaning, with the upsurge of the unconscious, the repressed, the forgotten and everything that is alienated from our rational thought-processes. We feel that the fantastic says things that concern us directly, even if we are less disposed than 19th century readers to be surprised by apparitions or phantasmagoria, judging these habits of the genre in a more detached way - as colourful period features. ' This is the first of two volumes and includes tales by Hoffman, Merimee, Hawthorne, Eichendorff, Scott, Balzac, Gogol, Gautier and Le Fanu.
- ISBN10 0224038419
- ISBN13 9780224038416
- Publish Date 1 January 1999
- Publish Status Cancelled
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Vintage Publishing
- Imprint Jonathan Cape Ltd
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 352
- Language English