The Monstruous and Acoustic Dimensions of Matthew Gregory Lewis’s Sonic Gothic Poem The Isle of the Devils: A Historical Tale Founded on an Anecdote in the Annals of Portugal (1827)
In 1827, Matthew Gregory Lewis’s posthumous poem The Isle of the Devils: A Historical Tale Founded on an Anecdote in the Annals of Portugal is published in Jamaica. This study characterizes the poetical text as an acoustic poem whose Gothicness is emphasized by its soundscapes and plots. Using concepts from Monster Studies, we analyse both the origin and the Anglo-Portuguese dimension of the mythical episode updated by Lewis and inserted in his Journal of a West India Proprietor (1834), and the Fiend’s monstruous nature, which is constructed through the soundscapes of the devils’ island and of Catholic Goa and Portugal.
Keywords: Matthew Lewis, The Isle of the Devils, Acoustic Poem, Gothic.
Palavras chave: Matthew Lewis, The Isle of the Devils, Poema Acústico, Gótico.
PDF (em português / Portuguese)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.34619/8bln-oryv
Rogério Miguel Puga has a PhD in Anglo-Portuguese Studies and he is an Associate Professor at NOVA FCSH. His research interests are: Contemporary English Literature, Travel Writing, Anglo-Portuguese Studies and Post-Colonial Studies.
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6198-6032
CIÊNCIA ID
https://www.cienciavitae.pt/portal/A416-923F-EBD9
Como citar / How to cite:
Puga, Rogério Miguel, “The Monstruous and Acoustic Dimensions of Matthew Gregory Lewis’s Sonic Gothic Poem The Isle of the Devils: A Historical Tale Founded on an Anecdote in the Annals of Portugal (1827).” Revista de Estudos Anglo-Portugueses / Journal of Anglo-Portuguese Studies, no. 30, 2021, pp. 93-125.doi:https://doi.org/10.34619/8bln-oryv