Publisher's Synopsis
The Man is a 1905 Victorian novel by Bram Stoker, best known for Dracula. A typical Gothic novel, it features horror and romance. The Man has also been published as The Gates of Life.
The Victorian Era, the reign of Queen Victoria from her coronation on 20 June 1837 to her death on 22 January 1901, is known as a long period of peace, prosperity and national pride for the British Empire. It was a bold transition from the Georgian era, largely defined by logic, rationalism and a progression towards romanticism and mysticism in religion, societal values and the arts. In international relations, the Georgian era was widely regarded as a period of peace and Britain involved themselves in little external conflict. However, within the American colonies there was much unrest. In British domestic relations, the political agenda became increasingly liberal and was marked by shifts toward political, industrial and social reform. During the Victorian era, Britain experienced an unprecedented economic and population growth.
The end of the era, when The Man was written, coincided with Europe's Belle Époque. Like Britain's Victorian era, the period was characterized by optimism, peace, advances in technology and scientific discoveries.
During the Romantic period of literature, which immediately preceded the Victorian period, poetry was the most popular form of literature. In the Victorian period, the novel became the predominant literary work. The most important novelist of the Victorian era is Charles Dickens. Other notable authors include the Brontë sisters: Anne, Charlotte, and Emily (who published works under male pseudonyms), George Eliot (pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans), Thomas Hardy, Lewis Carroll, George Gissing and Arthur Conan Doyle.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the subgenre of Gothic fiction emerged from the broader genre of fantastic fiction. These stories, centering on larger-than-life characters, took place in castles, cemeteries and monasteries in rural England or Europe or in large cities (such as London). Gothic literature combined romance and horror.
The Man has elements typical of Gothic fiction: horror and romance. The novel begins in a cemetery, and often returns there. Depictions of tombstones, Gothic architecture, gargoyles and other Gothic imagery are abundant. It focuses on a romance between the main character, Stephen, and Harold. It also focuses on the concept of death, with many characters dying in tragic accidents. Through the deaths, Stephen and Harold grow closer. The novel consists of a preface (or "fore-glimpse") followed by 37 short chapters, typically two to four pages. (wikipedia.org)
