Gore Vidal’s Historical Novels And the Shaping of American Political Consciousness

This study explores Gore Vidal’s use of classical skepticism in his historical novels and in his politics. This is written against the backdrop of an analysis of the general genre of historical novels and the particular way that Vidal has used his ‘re-versions’ and ‘re-viewing’ of American history to give voice to his concerns for American despotism and exploitative use of power for imperial control.