Considered by M. R. James as one of the top storytellers in the supernatural genre (M. R. James, 1923), Joseph Sheridan le Fanu is celebrated for his spine-chilling tales and eerie novels. Born in Ireland in 1814, le Fanu was a journalist, essayist, and author of mystery and supernatural stories. Under the guidance of his father, the Dean of the Irish Episcopal Church, le Fanu received a comprehensive education at home before studying law at Trinity College. Despite his legal studies, le Fanu's true passion was writing, and he never pursued a career in law. Instead, he dedicated himself to creating captivating tales that would enthrall readers and keep them on the edge of their seats.
Inspired by the works of Sir Walter Scott, le Fanu's early published works included two historical novels, The Cock and Anchor (1845) and The Fortunes of Colonel Torlogh O'Brien (1847). Although these novels displayed well-researched historical details and vivid descriptions, they failed to gain much attention due to their exaggerated characters and lack of depth. Even M. R. James, le Fanu's staunchest supporter, deemed Torlogh O'Brien unreadable and criticized the scenes of excessive cruelty within it.
Le Fanu also greatly admired the works of mystery novelist Wilkie Collins and may have emulated his style and approach. Both writers were masters at creating a suspenseful and atmospheric ambiance, though it is debated whether le Fanu saw Collins as his mentor. Nevertheless, le Fanu's early works were known for their unrealistic characters, but they made up for it with their vivid and ominous settings. To create a sense of eeriness, le Fanu employed various techniques, such as secret arrivals and departures, storms and tempests, haunted houses, and dimly lit corridors.
As a descendant of Huguenots, le Fanu took pride in his French heritage and even wrote under the pseudonym "Charles de Cresserons." His works received critical acclaim not only for their supernatural elements but also for their accurate portrayal of everyday life. However, le Fanu strongly objected to being labeled as a "sensation novelist," asserting that his works were more than just tales of death and mystery. In his preface to Uncle Silas (1864), he wrote, "No one would describe Sir Walter Scott's romances as sensation novels, yet in that marvelous series, death, crime, and mystery all have a place." Le Fanu's ability to delve into the inner thoughts and psychology of his characters set him apart from his contemporaries, elevating his writing to a higher level.
In 1858, le Fanu's beloved wife Susanna passed away, and he withdrew from society, earning the moniker "The Invisible Prince." This period of solitude allowed him to focus on his writing, and he produced some of his most notable works during this time. In 1863, his first novel in over a decade, The House by the Churchyard, was published. This mystery novel combines elements of suspense and detection when a skull is unearthed in a graveyard, setting off a chain of events that are revealed through flashbacks. The following year, le Fanu published Uncle Silas, another mystery novel in the gothic tradition. This chilling tale features a large, eerie mansion, a wicked uncle and his dim-witted son, a young heiress, a sinister governess, and a web of intrigue that keeps readers on the edge of their seats.
In his essay on le Fanu, Alfred Perceval Graves applauds the writer's skill in depicting both the wild and somber effects of nature, as well as his keen eye for detail in everyday life. Le Fanu's works have also been compared to those of Edgar Allan Poe, with E.F. Benson stating that le Fanu's tales produce a higher percentage of terror per page than Poe's.
In conclusion, Joseph Sheridan le Fanu was a master of supernatural storytelling, and his works continue to captivate readers today. From his early historical novels to his later works that delved into the inner workings of the human mind, le Fanu's writing continues to enthrall and leave a lasting impression on all who read it.
One of le Fanu's most well-known works, Uncle Silas, tells the story of a young woman who is tricked into believing she has left her uncle's home and traveled to a different city. However, she remains under the influence of a drug that alters her perception, making her believe she has left, when in reality, she is still in the same house. The sinister twist and suspenseful plot make it a must-read for fans of the supernatural genre.
Sheridan Le Fanu, a renowned author of gothic fiction and supernatural tales, was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1814. His most famous novel, "The Woman in White", tells the tale of a heroine who is lured to London under false pretenses only to discover that her sister has been relocated without her knowledge while she was unconscious.
Le Fanu's writing is characterized by his skilled use of suspense, a trait he shares with fellow author Wilkie Collins. However, while Collins' writing is known for its dramatic and realistic elements, Le Fanu's style is more subtle and idealistic. As writer Alfred Perceval Graves noted in his 1877 essay, Le Fanu often surprises readers with scenes of intense tragedy, making one wonder why he did not also write for the stage like Collins.
In 1872, Le Fanu published his most acclaimed work, "In A Glass Darkly", a collection of short stories. These tales, presented as "cases" collected by a fictional psychiatrist named Dr. Hesselius, include "Green Tea", "The Familiar", "Mr Justice Harbottle", "The Room in the Dragon Volant", and "Carmilla".
Following the passing of his wife, Susanna, Le Fanu found solace in the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, an 18th-century philosopher who believed that death is not an end, but rather a transition to a different form of existence. Swedenborg also spoke of an "inner eye" that all possess, which, when opened, allows one to see into the world of spirits.
Le Fanu incorporated this concept of the "inner eye" into his stories, particularly in the first three of "In A Glass Darkly". In "Green Tea", a clergyman is haunted by a phantom monkey, while in "The Familiar", an army captain grapples with his past mistakes. In "Mr Justice Harbottle", a cruel judge is tormented by visions of his own wickedness. Dr. Hesselius, however, attributes these experiences to hallucinations. The perspective shifts in the last two stories, where the supernatural realm is accessed more directly. In "The Room in the Dragon Volant", the protagonist, Beckett, is buried alive and then rescued, while in "Carmilla", a real vampire named Mircalla, Countess Karnstein, preys on the living.
The setting of "Carmilla" is in Styria, and the narrative is told by an English woman named Laura. Her mother hailed from the Karnstein family, who owned a castle in the area. Laura and her father live in another castle, isolated from the abandoned village nearby where the villagers have fled out of fear of vampires. They receive news from a family friend, a general, who is planning to visit with his niece. However, his niece dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances, which he plans to explain upon his arrival.
At the same time, a carriage accident occurs outside the castle, and Carmilla and her mother become guests in Laura and her father's home. Carmilla is injured and must stay to recuperate. However, Laura's health starts to decline, and the doctor notices two puncture marks on her neck. He warns Laura's father of a possible vampire's influence. Upon the General's arrival, he reveals that his niece was a victim of a vampire. Upon seeing Carmilla, he confirms that she is the same vampire who has taken on the appearance of his late niece, Mircalla. They locate Carmilla's tomb and destroy her body by driving a stake through her heart and beheading her.
Many elements of "Carmilla" are mirrored in Bram Stoker's famous novel, "Dracula", including the isolated castle, the beautiful female vampire, the use of a stake and beheading as means of destroying the vampire, and the setting in the region of Styria. Stoker had initially intended to begin his novel with a story titled "Dracula's Guest", in which he references another Countess from Le Fanu's "In A Glass Darkly". However, his publisher felt it revealed the Count too early, so the story was published in a collection instead.
Some scholars, such as Robert Tracy, suggest that "Carmilla" reflects Le Fanu's anxieties about the rising power of Catholic Irish nationalists, as he himself was Anglo-Irish. Despite this, Le Fanu's legacy as a pioneering author of gothic fiction and supernatural tales continues to captivate readers to this day.
Sheridan Le Fanu, a prominent writer and journalist, is known for his gothic fiction and supernatural stories. His works, which reflect the decline of the once-thriving Anglo-Irish landowners, have been linked to Ireland's Great Famine of 1845-1849. The haunting abandoned village in his stories symbolizes the aftermath of the famine, with many choosing exile as their only escape. (Tracy, Robert. Introduction. In A Glass Darkly. 1999.) Despite the gloomy themes in his writing, Le Fanu was a sociable figure in Dublin's literary community, being the editor of the Dublin University Magazine and a collector of ghost stories from local booksellers. As described in Nelson Browne's book, Sheridan Le Fanu: A Biography (1951), it was not uncommon to see Le Fanu emerge from the shadows just before nightfall, with his pleasant voice and smile, to ask for more ghost stories.
Le Fanu's writing process was as unique as his stories. He preferred to write at night by the light of two candles, often falling asleep and waking up in the early hours of the morning to make a strong cup of tea and continue writing for a couple of hours. This dedication to his craft resulted in numerous works, including his final novel, Willing to Die, published a year after In A Glass Darkly. While the novel explores elements of mystery and romance, it also delves into darker themes of poverty and despair. Its protagonist, Ethel, faces extreme challenges before ultimately inheriting a fortune that she is too broken to enjoy.
Despite his success as a writer, Le Fanu's personal life was marked by tragedy. In 1858, his wife Susanna passed away, causing him to withdraw from society. However, this isolation allowed him to focus on his writing, resulting in two of his most famous works, Uncle Silas (1864) and The House by the Churchyard (1863).
In 1872, Le Fanu published his most famous work, In A Glass Darkly, a collection of ghost stories that cemented his reputation as one of the pioneers of the gothic genre. However, just a year later, he passed away peacefully in his sleep. Despite rumors of a recurring nightmare about a crumbling mansion, his daughter's note to his cousin claims that he died without suffering, with a peaceful smile on his face. (Emmie L. Le Fanu, Note to Lord Dufferin, 1873.)
Sheridan Le Fanu's legacy lives on through his captivating stories and novels that continue to intrigue readers. He was a celebrated writer and journalist, whose works reflect the decline of the once-thriving Anglo-Irish landowners and the superstitions and fears that accompanied Ireland's Great Famine. Immerse yourself in the world of gothic fiction with his masterful works and discover the brilliance of Sheridan Le Fanu.
