The Ghost A Cultural History by Susan Owens

The Ghost A Cultural History by Susan Owens is a book published soon by Tate Publishing a division by ABRAMS and it is an interesting book about The Ghost and the meaning of the ghost in our society and in the past.

Do we believe in ghosts? Most of us do believe in ghosts,and this tome starts with the most excellent example in literature that can be taken in consideration: the meeting between Ebenezer Scrooge and his friend and partner/associate of the firm Scrooge&Marley in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Just: Marley is dead from various years. He re-appeared to Scrooge for trying to help him.
Marley wanted to change Scrooge's final destiny.  A destiny of perdition, a destiny of "If I would have helped that person...If I would have acted differently..."
The destiny of a very selfish person just projected to help himself without to taking care of anyone else.
Once dead life can't repeat itself.
The existence lived and spent entirely can't permit any excuse. For Marley that years spent in the Other World not too happy at all because punished for his hard heart and egoism.

At first Ebenezer Scrooge can't believe that this one was his partner Marley but later maybe he will change his mind.

Who are ghosts? Called phantoms, entities, in general they are spirits of dead people but not yet in peace and back in this world for various reasons.

As we have seen, in this case Marley obtained the permission of acting with kindness with his partner Scrooge for saving his soul giving him a final chance, but sometimes ghosts, spirits can't find peace and decide to rest for ruining the existence of other people still alive.
In Ireland there are proper prayers for the peaceless ghosts/souls who can't see light yet and are still  with us.

In old mansions, castles, wherever there is an old house, be sure that you will find a ghost's story, because it's typical to think that there are some presences in old places. Someone maybe killed abruptly in the old times, a child dead in a very strange way, someone who can't yet  find peace because his/her existence ended before the real human time. These souls in general live in old houses where once they knew happy moments.

In a church in Norfolk you can find a painting where in a side you will see the Three Living and close to them the final result: the dead ones called The Three Dead. There is no doubt, that in the other dimension The Three Dead are repulsive and able to scare people. 

The same Samuel Pepys the diarist who lived in London in 1660s told a story of a ghost.

It is true that the Reformation introduced some novelties: Purgatory didn't exist anymore so the soul once the man was dead went or in Heaven or in Hell so no reasons for staying worried thinking at ghostly presences.

But British people remained affectionate at the idea of ghosts and didn't want to leave  them alone.
Catholicism not anymore practiced largely in UK, the tradition of believing in ghosts didn't lose its fascination.
The book wants also to let us reflect: the eternal justice of the world is clear. Rich, poor, beauty, ugly, everyone die.

The Ghost doesn't forget many other literary example starting with Beowulf taken in exam profoundly. Henry James like also Oscar Wilde have been masters in ghosts' storytelling but the book remembers also the history of William Polidori and his sad relationship with Lord Byron. Lord Byron wanted to write a story about a ghost or a new character never imagined before. Polidori created a vampire, someone not completely dead, but not alive anymore. Lord Byron didn't find any inspiration but when the story was printed with high success everyone believed that Lord Byron wrote it...

This first story was the launch for the masterpiece created by Bram Stoker Dracula written in epistolary genre.

The Ghost by Susan Owens is a wonderful tome about the topic because it mixes very well putting all together the best of literature, art, traditions, religions, facts, saying, stories, legends, and the result is a great fascinating patchwork, plenty of interest and magic. Once you will finish to read this book you will want to continue to read about the topic starting who knows? with Henry James, Oscar Wilde, William Polidori, Bram Stoker, continuing with William Blake's art, religion,  the Victorian's period, maybe with some Thomas Hardy in the middle and that's why I love this book so badly! Because it will be for you or for the person you will present it at an inspiration, an intriguing research in grade of opening other doors thanks to the richness erudite research done by the author. Ghosts are treated with great respect and love and it pays.

I have always believed in ghosts. They help us to going on well in our life, sometimes they joke, sometimes they can be hilarious, sometimes they let us reflect, sometimes they are necessary in our life for finding more peace, but surely they accompany all of us for a while before to return in the Other Dimension. Let's hope that there are not negative ghosts around.

I thank NetGalley for this beautiful, stunning eBook.


Anna Maria Polidori