The Contested Castle: Gothic Novels and the Subversion of Domestic Ideology Paperback – June 1, 1989

Very interesting study of the home (the castle) as a "contested" space. It is supposed to be the reign of the woman in Victorian society, but if women cannot feel secure and in charge inside the home, then there are conflicts. I liked the last chapter, the one about Emily Bronte and Wuthering Heights, where Ellis shows how the younger Catherine is able to create a new identity and exercise power through her education, and in so doing she is able to solve the conflicts of the previous generation.

Gothics have come and gone...and back again. This author, Ellis tackles the subject for the lay person and is very informative.