There are many gothic conventions in ‘Dracula’, and this is what makes it an eerie delight for the viewers, as well as making it fit into the ‘gothic’ genre. The movie is cleverly adapted from the book, sharing the same title- that was scribed by Bram Stoker. Some very common gothic elements include the theme of isolation and security. Both of these things can be seen in ‘Dracula’ The theme of isolation is presented by the way Dracula’s castle is shown to the viewers- dark, isolated from any form any other form of civilization in the middle of a great landscape consisting of myriad and secret passageways and being a ruin in itself. The settings presented are also dark and eeire, and Dracula himself lives in solitude with no other companion.
Rebecca (1940) is a typical Noir film directed by the famous Hollywood film director Alfred Hitchcock. The film is an adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's 1938 novel of the same name. It is a gothic tale about the lingering memory of the title character, Rebecca, Maxim de Winter's dead first wife, which continues to haunt Maxim, his new bride, and Mrs. Danvers. As a typical Noir film, Rebecca has several characteristics of this genre. The first one is the portrait of Rebecca, a typical the femme fatale.
The Devil and Tom Walker Gothic literature was and still is a very common form of literature in which the point of writing is to make people scared or to question their beliefs. It started around the Puritan times and was directly opposed to their views, so it was aimed at them to make them question their beliefs. Gothic literature is usually extremely dark and gloomy with more than a little death and decay throughout the story. It also almost always has some form of supernatural being or event. “The Devil and Tom Walker” by Washington Irving is a perfect example of gothic literature because it has all of the characteristic features of it.
Similarly, in Act 2, scene 1, Macbeth goes to murder Duncan. This sets the dark atmosphere for the whole of Act 2. The settings used in Act 1 and 2 are very effective in creating the stereotypical gothic atmosphere. The witches appear in Act 1, scene 1 in a “desolate place” and in scene 3 on a “heath.” Witches are conventionally placed in wild landscapes that are mysterious and in deserted locations. Using locations such as the heath, creates a sense of isolation and secrecy, and highlights the fact that the witches are separated from the rest of the characters and society.
Washington Irving is identified with the gothic with his “Legend of Sleepy Hollow”, however the gothic mode can also be identified in his story, “Rip Van Winkle”. To begin, both will be compared with their use of the Gothic Mode. Edgar Allan Poe’s writing set the mold for most gothic literature to follow. From “The Raven” to “The Tell-Tale Heart” his writing sets the reader on edge and fills them with unease. “Its style tends to be ornate, unnatural” (Carter 134).
'Jane Eyre' is a narrative of darkness, shadows and eerie light. The female gothic genre, therefore, is a significant element within the narrative in which the author explores a woman's roles within society and her home, which leads to the protagonist’s dangerous attempts to challenge, protest and break free of these roles. Bronte applies the mysterious, the supernatural, the horrific and the romantic; to accentuate this. I will analyse the significance of the gothic forms used in Jane Eyre looking specifically at the use of; gothic paraphernalia, supernatural events, death scenes, the heroine, the male tyrant, other evil woman and good lover. Body Gothic paraphernalia is first shown in the novel in the form of the red room.
Susan Hill explores the theme of supernatural throughout the novel through the setting, imagery and the use of language. ‘The Woman in Black’ is a ghost story, therefore the idea of supernatural is essential throughout for the novel to work. Hill explores the theme to frighten and entertain, so that the audience can enjoy the ghost novel. The opening chapter to the novel provides the main introduction of not only the novel but also the theme of supernatural. In it the idea of a traditional ghost story is suggested which shows us forewarning for the rest of the novel.
In one of the most moving scenes in the story, the ghost of Christmas present took Scrooge to watch the Cratchit family celebrate Christmas. Even know the Cratchit family were poor, they were all thankful just to be together and have a goose to feast upon. Bob Cratchit even showed his respects to Scrooge by making a toast. ‘He hoped the people saw him in the church, because he was a cripple, and it might be pleasant to them to remember upon Christmas day, who made lame beggars walk and blind men see. ‘God bless us everyone!’ Dickens is giving the Christmas image which is all about getting together and feasting.
How does Susan Hill build up a sense of mystery and tension in the chapter ‘Across the Causeway’ in The Woman in Black? Susan Hill creates tension by using the gothic imagery like dark, mysterious settings, weird characters and places with strange names. The title of the novel itself is symbolic, as black clothes are representative of the gothic genre. Susan Hill also builds a sense of mystery and tension if a couple different ways. This part of the story is important because it reinforces everything that the reader already suspects about the position of Eel Marsh House and provides the reader with specific detail to do with the isolation of the house.
Both successfully utilise setting to create the mysterious atmosphere in the gothic genre. In the novel The Strange Case the gothic theme of mystery is explored through the use of setting. Stevenson uses dark and descriptive settings to create the mysterious mood of the story. In chapter 1, as Mr. Enfield recounts a story, he uses vivid imagery as depicted in the phrase “black winter morning…street after street… as empty as a church”. The atmosphere of the scene is revealed as