(Re)workings of Nineteenth-Century Fiction: Definitions, Terminology, Contexts

In the event of a new (sub) discipline forming around the postmodern refashioning of the nineteenth century, there are some basic tenets that need clarification. Concerning the research on postmodern fiction rewriting the Victorian novel, detailed discussions of the definition and terminology applied to the group of texts under scrutiny and of the possible discourses they can be contextualised in are still scarce. Therefore, the study begins by, first, surveying the meanings attached to the term Victorian, and second, analysing the existing terms and definitions categorising postmodern rewrites of Victorian fiction. Ultimately this should start a debate aimed at finding a suitable term and definition for this group of texts. The final part of the inquiry, examining the discursive contexts these novels appear in, is intended to provide an informative background for the ensuing discussion, pointing towards the emerging interdisciplinarity of the field.