Apparitions and Appearances: Ghost Stories and Paranormal Research in the Nineteenth Century in Mary Louisa Molesworth and Ada Goodrich Freer, Muhamet Alijaj

Literature on the supernatural became very popular in Victorian society. Ghost stories became widespread and veridical literature and studies on the paranormal arose as well. This essay will deal with an example of fiction, The Rippling Train by Molesworth and a non-fictional investigation, The Alleged Haunting of Bellechin House by Ada Goodrich Freer. The essay will show that while both differ in intent, both represent Victorian angst in terms of the ability to empirically determine reality and its shortcomings as well as attempts to subvert power structures though writing about apparitions.