ABSTRACT
Trauma studies have acquired great relevance for cultural and literary studies, achieving the status of a solid theoretical framework for the analysis of literary texts. A similar spirit of uncovering the main features of contemporary trauma fiction—although perhaps performed in a somewhat less prescriptive and more cautious manner—guides Anne Whitehead’s influential book Trauma Fiction. Some considerations about the collusion of postmodernism, feminist criticism and trauma theory seem in order at this point, given its complexity and wide-ranging nature. Feminist critics have continued addressing the works of male writers from Chaucer and Shakespeare right up to contemporary authors, providing more nuanced readings informed by feminism and other contemporary theories that take issue with complex notions of gender and subjectivity, assessing also how these intersect with race, sexuality and class. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
