Monstrous Anatomies

Literary and Scientific Imagination in Britain and Germany during the Long Nineteenth Century

Contributions by Elisa Leonzio Contributions by Lorella Bosco Contributions by Micaela Latini Contributions by Anna Cappellotto Contributions by Francesca Di Blasio Contributions by Sharon Ruston Contributions by Flora de Giovanni Contributions by Alessandra Violi Contributions by Laura Di Michele Contributions by Maria Teresa Chialant Contributions by Francesca Guidotti Contributions by Sara Damiani Contributions by Daniela Crocetti Contributions by Michele Cometa Edited by Raul Calzoni Edited by Greta Perletti

Book cover: Monstrous Anatomies

Extent: 316 pages

Publisher: V&R unipress

Subjects: German Studies, Literary Studies

Series: Interfacing Science, Literature, and the Humanities / ACUME 2

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(September 2015)

ISBN: 9783847104698

6.34 x 9.33 inches

Price: $82.00

On back order

It explores it by investigating how and why scientific and literary representations and descriptions of abnormal bodies were proposed. Since the investigations of late 18th-Century natural sciences, the fascination with monstrous anatomies has proved crucial to the study of human physiology and pathology. Featuring essays by a number of scholars focusing on a wide range of literary texts from the long nineteenth century and foregrounding the most important monstrous anatomies of the time, this book intends to offer a significant contribution to the study of the representations of the abnormal body in modern culture.


The book explores the significance and dissemination of ‘monstrous anatomies’ in British and German culture by investigating how and why scientific and literary representations and descriptions of abnormal bodies were proposed in the late Enlightenment, during the Romantic and the Victorian Age. Since the investigations of late 18th-Century natural sciences, the fascination with monstrous anatomies has proved crucial to the study of human physiology and pathology. Featuring essays by a number of scholars focusing on a wide range of literary texts from the long nineteenth century and foregrounding the most important monstrous anatomies of the time, this book intends to offer a significant contribution to the study of the representations of the abnormal body in modern culture.

Raul Calzoni is Associate Professor of German Studies at the University of Bergamo. Greta Perletti holds a PhD in Textual Analysis and Theory at the University of Bergamo.

  • Contributions by Elisa Leonzio
  • Contributions by Lorella Bosco
  • Contributions by Micaela Latini
  • Contributions by Anna Cappellotto
  • Contributions by Francesca Di Blasio
  • Contributions by Sharon Ruston
  • Contributions by Flora de Giovanni
  • Contributions by Alessandra Violi
  • Contributions by Laura Di Michele
  • Contributions by Maria Teresa Chialant
  • Contributions by Francesca Guidotti
  • Contributions by Sara Damiani
  • Contributions by Daniela Crocetti
  • Contributions by Michele Cometa
  • Edited by Raul Calzoni
  • Edited by Greta Perletti