Will Wright

Final Sister: 'Nunsploitation' and misogyny in horror.

Over the last few decades, nuns have become a staple of the horror genre. Spanning from Gothic verse, to the modern silver screen, they're everywhere. Through my research, I will establish a clear textual history of nuns in sensational and Gothic literature, which has given way to the modern 'nunsploitation' subgenre. 'Nunsploitation', while a distinct phenomenon, has considerable overlap with the horror genre. My research aims to uncover and analyze the underlying misogyny expressed through depictions of nuns in horror media, and connect this to current issues of misogyny in contemporary society. I also aim to address the 'why' of such depictions of nuns, and interrogate the motivations that might drive highly sexualized and sensationalized depictions of nuns both in Gothic texts, and contemporary movies.