Poisonous Tales : A Forensic Examination of Poisons in Fiction / Hilary Hamnett.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hamnett, Hilary, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Poisons.

Poisons in literature.

Poisonous plants.

Literature, Modern--History and criticism.

Literature, Modern.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (292 p.)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

London, England : The Royal Society of Chemistry, [2023]

Summary:

Dangerous, dark and difficult to detect, poisons have been a common character in literature from ancient times to the modern day. Their ability to perform deadly deeds at a distance is a common device for creating dramatic tension and playing on our real life fears. But what is fact and what is pure fiction?From Shakespeare and Dickens to Hugo and Poe, the macabre world of literary poisonings is as large as it is fascinating. Utilising real forensic science Poisonous Talesexplores the real science inspiring the toxins and tinctures in our favourite works. Could a poison really mimic death in Romeo and Juliet? What is the cause of the mad Hatter's malady in Alice in Wonderland? And could a stone from the stomach of a goat really have been used as an antidote in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince? Through these and many more 'cases' we discover the captivating truth in the texts and how real-life tragedies can replicate themselves in fiction.

Contents:

Introduction

The Cry of Death

A Ghostly Encounter with Poison

The Flattering Truth of Sleep

The Queen of Poisons

Outfoxed by Digitalis

Poison for a Broken Heart

The Power to Heal as well as Harm

Beautiful but Deadly

Nature's Toxic Gift

Mad as a Hatter

The Silent Killer.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (EBook Central, viewed April 17, 2025).

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

1-83767-202-4

1-83916-481-6