Mummy Issues - Representations of the Man of Science and the Monstrous Mummy in Bram Stoker’s The Jewel of Seven Stars - Dissertation

Aug 24, 2026

This dissertation examines fictional representations of nineteenth-century men of science confronted by a Western-influenced monster emerging from Egypt: the mummy. The study centers on Bram Stoker’s The Jewel of Seven Stars, while tracing cultural and literary developments that fostered the monstrous mummy, including British fascination with ancient Egypt, public mummy displays as scientific spectacles, early British mummy fiction, and the rise of mummy romance. Analysis proceeds through the novel’s scientists, the mummy Queen Tera as a monster with forbidden knowledge and astral-projection power, and the Great Experiment across the 1903 and 1912 editions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages262

Reading Time11 h 0 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Cultural and literary origins of the monstrous mummy

Method and scope of analysis

Representations of men of science

Status and scientific methodology

Disciplines referenced in the novel

The mummy as monster: Queen Tera

Forbidden knowledge and supernatural power

Astral projection

The Great Experiment across 1903 and 1912 editions

MUMMY ISSUES: REPRESENTATIONS OF THE MAN OF SCIENCE AND THE MONSTROUS MUMMY IN BRAM STOKER’S THE JEWEL OF SEVEN STARS by Teri L. Campbell APPROVED BY SUPERVISORY COMMITTEE: | Pamela Gossin, Chair | | --- | | Stephen Asma | | Kenneth Brewer | | Matthew J. Brown | Michael L. Wilson Copyright 2023 Teri L. Campbell All Rights Reserved For all of us who long to bring back our dead. MUMMY ISSUES: REPRESENTATIONS OF THE MAN OF SCIENCE AND THE MONSTROUS MUMMY IN BRAM STOKER’S THE JEWEL OF SEVEN STARS by TERI L. CAMPBELL, BA, MA DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of The University of Texas at Dallas in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN HUMANITIES THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Writing a dissertation during a pandemic has been a strange and sometimes lonely experience. Completing a dissertation under these conditions was made possible by a virtual community who continuously inspired, encouraged, and listened to me. To properly acknowledge everyone who supported me in this quest would require an additional chapter, but writing it would only further delay my long overdue appreciation. First, I must thank my extremely patient committee. My chair, Pamela Gossin, has been a constant source of light, providing the clarity I needed to find my topic and my voice. The warmth of her positivity and enthusiasm kept me going when I could not envision an end to the journey. This dissertation would have been a much poorer thing had Michael Wilson not insisted on my building a foundation of critical thinking and analytic reading that I had not realized I lacked when I returned to graduate school. I am deeply grateful that he agreed to continue “supporting me in my madness.” Kenneth Brewer may not remember that he once used the phrase “Bizzarro Dickens” in class, but he provided my first clue that the truly weird in Victorian literature was worth exploring from an academic perspective. (Of course, I now realize that I was late to the party.) Matthew Brown inspired me to continue my swerve with his own work in philosophy and comics; I must also thank him for generously agreeing to take on a graduate student whose work he had never seen until now. After I stumbled onto his work On Monsters, Stephen Asma surprised me by responding kindly to an anxious fangirl’s late-night email. He showed me the beauty of monsters, setting me firmly on this path. And although she retired before I could form my committee, I would also like to thank Patricia Michaelson for deepening my appreciation for the Victorian novel. A graduate student learns not only from her teachers but also from her cohort. I have been lucky enough to befriend many extraordinary people during my time in this program. Poe Johnson’ssage counsel has been invaluable over the years; I am a better person for his friendship. I could never have written this dissertation without the support of my most constant readers, the women of Write Club. Even though we are scattered from coast to coast, Jennifer Crumley, Briana Gotham, and Janet Jacobs have read (almost) every word and have responded with even better words, insightful criticism, and good humor—to say nothing of baked goods, trashy novels, and love. Finally, the person most responsible for enabling me to spend the last decade reading, thinking, and writing is my best friend and the love of my life, John Precourt. If we are both reanimated someday, he can be sure that I will find him again. For my children, Ian and Colin, it’s your turn now. You know the drill: be brave, be kind, keep learning. April 2023 MUMMY ISSUES: REPRESENTATIONS OF THE MAN OF SCIENCE AND THE MONSTROUS MUMMY IN BRAM STOKER’S THE JEWEL OF SEVEN STARS Teri L. Campbell, PhD The University of Texas at Dallas, 2023 Supervising Professor: Pamela Gossin In this dissertation, I examine fictional representations of nineteenth-century men of science in conflic

FAQs

What is the dissertation’s primary focus?

It focuses on fictional representations of nineteenth-century men of science in conflict with the mummy in Bram Stoker’s The Jewel of Seven Stars.

Which historical and cultural trends does the study trace?

It traces British fascination with ancient Egyptian culture, public unrolling of mummies as scientific spectacles, early British mummy fiction, and late-century popularity of mummy romance.

How does the dissertation interpret the mummy Queen Tera?

It argues that Tera functions as a “monster” with forbidden knowledge and supernatural power, specifically the power of astral projection.

Aug 24, 2026

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