Introduction

This introductory chapter gives an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. With political context, formulating an approach with which to interpret Gothic literature and culture with the trans prefix has added cultural weight and understanding to utilize and deploy. With the rise of third wave feminism and sexuality studies, the late 1990s and 2000s marked the queering of Gothic studies. By deploying several definitions and theories of trans, TransGothic in Literature and Culture works with—but also disrupts—a "comfortable" queer Gothic. Gothic literature subversively explores non-normative gender identities, intertextual genre building, and non-normative sexuality. Transgender, like queer, functions as an umbrella term that can be capacious and flexible. By bringing together various viewpoints and historical contexts, TransGothic in Literature and Culture contributes to an emerging field of study and provides new perspectives on the ways in which Gothic literature, visual media, and other cultural forms explicitly engage sexuality and gender.