My Wish Lists Login / Join

The Aesthetics of Murder

A Study in Romantic Literature and Contemporary Culture

By: Joel Black

Write A Review

Paperback | 14 November 1991

At a Glance

Paperback
304 Pages

Age
22+

Dimensions(cm)
22.86 x 15.24 x 1.75

Paperback

RRP $70.99

$70.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $17.69 with

Ships in 5 to 7 business days

What connects the Romantic essays of Thomas De Quincey and the violent cinema of Brian De Palma? Or the "beautiful" suicides of Hedda Gabler Yukio Mishima? Or the shootings of pop star John Lennon and President Ronald Reagon? In "The Aesthetics of Murder", Joel Black explores the sometimes gruesome interplay between life and art, between actual violence and images of violence in a variety of literary texts, paintings, and films. Rather than exclude murder from critical consideration by dismissing it as a crime, Black urges us to ponder the killer's artistic role- and our own experience as audience, witness, or voyeur. Black explores murder as a recurring, obsessive theme in the Romantic tradition, approaching the subject from an aesthetic rather than a moral, psychological, or philosophical perspective. He compares cultural and artistic notions of suicide as the ultimate self-expression. And he examines contemporary instances of sensational murders and assassinations, treating these as mimetic or cathartic activities in their own right. Combining historical documentation with theoretical insights, Black shows that the possibilities of representing violence- and of experiencing it- as art were recognized early in the nineteenth century as logical extensions of Romantic theories of the sublime. Since then, both traditional art forms and the modern mass media have contributed to the growing aestheticization of daily experience- including murder, suicide, and terrorism.

Industry Reviews

""Chances are that you'll have a hard time fighting his suasive thesis.""

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.