The Rise of Fictional Character Biographies as a Literary Genre
A fresh literary subgenre has surfaced: biographies centered on fictional figures. Since the year 2023, no fewer than seven titles have been released, such as "The Wife of Bath: A Biography" by Marion Turner (2023), "Juliet: The Lives and Afterlives of Shakespeare's First Tragic Heroine" by Sophie Duncan (2023), and "Bigger: A Literary Life" by Trudier Harris (2024). Upcoming works include "Jim: The Life and Afterlives of Huckleberry Finn's Comrade" by Shelley Fisher Fishkin (2025), "Haman: A Biography" by Adam J. Silverstein (2025), "Hannibal Lecter: A Life" by Brian Raftery (2026), and "Shakespeare's Margaret: The Dramatic Life of a Warrior Queen" by Scott W. Stern and Charles O'Malley (2026). Additionally, scholar James Shapiro is crafting a biography of Othello. These narratives delve into the backgrounds and cultural transformations of characters, mirroring societal expectations.
Key facts
- Seven fictional character biographies published since 2023, one every six months.
- Works include biographies of the Wife of Bath, Juliet, Bigger Thomas, Jim, Haman, Hannibal Lecter, and Margaret of Anjou.
- James Shapiro is reportedly writing a biography of Shakespeare's Othello.
- The subgenre builds on earlier works like John Gross's 'Shylock: A Legend and Its Legacy' (1992) and Harold Bloom's 'Major Literary Characters' series.
- Authors use anthropomorphic language, describing characters' 'birth,' 'genes,' and 'afterlives.'
- Stern attributes the trend to the 'death of the author,' fan culture, and author cancellations.
- Character biographies allow audiences to engage with works independently of problematic creators.
- The true focus is on the audience's changing norms reflected in the character's reception.
Entities
Artists
- Marion Turner
- Sophie Duncan
- Trudier Harris
- Shelley Fisher Fishkin
- Adam J. Silverstein
- Brian Raftery
- Scott W. Stern
- Charles O'Malley
- James Shapiro
- John Gross
- Harold Bloom
- Roland Barthes
- William Shakespeare
- Geoffrey Chaucer
- Richard Wright
- Mark Twain
- Thomas Harris
- Peggy Ashcroft
- Helen Mirren
- Franco Zeffirelli
- Percival Everett
- Toni Morrison
- Alice Walker
- J.K. Rowling
- Joss Whedon
- Junot Díaz
- Sherman Alexie
- Neil Gaiman
- Stephen King
Institutions
- Los Angeles Review of Books
- Chelsea House
- Scribner
- The New York Times
- Oxford University
- Veronese Juliet Club
Locations
- Mississippi
- Mexico
- California
- New Jersey
- Japan
- Germany
- Spain
- France
- India
- Arabic-speaking countries
- Elam