Isabella Bruschi

A cura di I. Bruschi 
 
 Six short stories having the world of the supernatural as their main theme.
 Disquieting and mysterious presences, suspense, the atavic fear of the unknown are the characteristic ingredients of these stories.
 They were written in a pre-freudian time where the irrational was still unknown and therefore enigmatic and threatening. Taken from top-level authors – E. A. Poe, J. K. Jerome, E. G. Swain, E. F. Benson, M. R. James, J. G. Lang – they are accompanied by inserts on supernatural entities and on cultural and historical aspects related to the contents of the tales. 
 
 Teacher's Resources available online: Answer Key - Transcripts - Summing-up Activities
 
 Sei racconti che hanno come tematica il mondo del soprannaturale.
 Presenze inquietanti e misteriose e la paura atavica dell’ignoto sono gli ingredienti di queste storie in cui, in un’epoca pre-freudiana, l’irrazionale risulta completamente sconosciuto e minaccioso.
 Tratte da autori di grande livello – E. A. Poe, J. K. Jerome, E. G. Swain, E. F. Benson, M. R. James, J. G. Lang – sono corredate dalle biografie degli autori, da schede sulle "short stories" e "ghost stories" e su aspetti storico-culturali collegati ai contenuti dei racconti.

Introduction

Edgar Allan Poe

Ligeia

Extension: A film director who loved Poe

Montague Rhodes James

The Rose Garden

Extension: What’s in a rose

Jerome Klapka Jerome

A Ghost Story

Extension: Supernatural company

John George Lang

The Ghost upon the Rail

Extension: Transportation to Australia

Edmund Gill Swain

Bone to his Bone

Extension: Ghosts, spirits or human imagination?

Edward Frederick Benson

The Confession of Charles Linkworth

Extension: The death penalty in the U.K.

Summing-up activities

  A Ghost Story BEFORE READING 1 Why do you think spirits should visit living people? Choose the altenative/s you consider more  reasonable . c c c c c to play tricks on them to help them to see the people they once loved to do something they couldn t do during their life to fulfil a wish they couldn t satisfy during their life 2 In what form do you think spirits might appear to living beings? Choose among the pictures below. 3 Have you ever heard or read in newspapers/magazines about spirits appearing to people? Briefly relate one episode you know. ............................................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................................... ............................................................................................................................................................................... 54 

Jerome K. Story Jerome A Ghost O m One day I met a man in the Strand1 that I knew very well, u even though I had not seen him for years. We walked together to Charing Cross2 where we parted. Next morning, I spoke of this meeting to a common friend and then I learnt, for the first time, that the man had died six months before. At first I thought I had mistaken one man for another, which often happens to me, not having a good memory for faces. However, I remember that I had walked and talked to that man under the impression that he was that other dead man, and his replies had never once suggested to me my mistake. As soon as I had finished speaking, Jephson, who had been listening very thoughtfully, asked me if I believed in spiritualism  to its fullest extent .  That is rather a big question,  I answered.  What do you mean by  spiritualism to its fullest extent ?   Well, do you believe that the spirits of the dead have not only the power of revisiting this earth when they want to but that, when here, they have the power of action?   For my part,  remarked MacShaugnassy,  I cannot understand why a spirit should care to spend its evenings with living people, most of the times uninteresting people.   Nor do I,  said Jephson.  But I was thinking of something else. Suppose a man died with the dearest wish of his heart unfulfilled3, do you believe that his spirit might have the power to return to earth and complete the interrupted work?   What do you mean exactly?  asked MacShaugnassy.  Well,  replied Jephson, seating himself comfortably in his chair,  I was told a story this morning at the hospital by an old French 1. Strand: nome di una via di Londra. 2. Charing Cross: nome di una stazione di Londra. 3. unfulfilled: insoddisfatto, inappagato. 55 

Sei racconti gotici con atmosfere inquietanti e figure misteriose da autori come E. A. Poe, J. K. Jerome, E. G. Swain, E. F. Benson, M. R. James e J.

Tales of The Supernatural - Collana Rainbows

Level B2 • Intermediate - Collana RAINBOWS

Tales of The Supernatural

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