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).
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.
For a novel to be considered gothic, it must contain certain elements; Dracula reflects many of these unique principles. The setting largely affects the gothic feel of the novel. The medieval castle, the literally dark location, and the gloomy and suspenseful atmosphere, which are all utilized in the novel, are examples of a gothic setting. In his journal, Jonathan Harker described Count Dracula’s castle as he approached it: “...in the courtyard of a vast ruined castle, from whose tall black windows came no ray of light, and whose broken battlements showed a jagged line against the moonlit sky” (Stoker 22). This quote shows the medieval castle aspect almost always found in the gothic novel type, but also even begins to set up the dark, gloomy, and uneasy atmosphere that is so important in this kind of literature.
The realist of the two would be Nathaniel Hawthorne, his intentions for writing was to eliminate degradation and to retain morality. Hawthorne and Poe use a wide range of symbolism in their writings. Hawthorne often made use of items such as scarlet letters, black veils, poison bushes, and haunted houses to symbolize for secret sin. However, Poe employed many symbols such as black cats, ravens, vulture eyes, harlequin costumes, catacombs,
Explore the ways Shelley uses setting to contribute to the gothic concept of the novel. Shelley uses setting as a vital contribution to the gothic concept of the novel; Mary said “The very room...he glassy lakes and the high Alps beyond”, would be the pivotal settings in her novel. Shelley knew from this stage that exterior and interior settings would be significant; interior “dark room” which refers to Victor’s laboratory of “filthy creation” in Chapter 4, an epitome of the gothic genre revealing a sense of darkness and seclusion mirroring the eponymous character Frankenstein. The idea of the lake and high Alps can be observed as being influenced by the Romantic poets, Percy and Wodsworth on nature being a restorative agent. Hence Shelley’s use of the exterior setting of the Arctic, which unravels the framework of the novel through epistolary form.
‘The Yellow Wall-Paper’ Argues without Argument ‘The Yellow Wall-Paper’ is a complex short story told though the point of view of a sarcastic and insane protagonist, who has rapidly changing ideas about her surroundings, other characters and even her own psychological state. Because of this, readers may come to a variety of conclusions about major plot points and themes. Puzzled, readers will identify the piece as a horror story—a vivid portrayal of insanity with unsettling realism. This is indeed the conscious conclusion that Charlotte Perkins Gilman intends for her readers to form. However, the piece is so much more than a simple horror story; it is a deceptively hidden but powerful essay on female equality and marriage, two topics about which Gilman wrote frequently.
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Fall of the House of Usher”, are both excellent examples of Gothic literature and the elements which set this genre apart from others. Each author employs such Gothic elements as metonymy, mystery and suspense, and overwrought emotion to create pieces of writing that have affected the way we tell stories even to the present day. Metonymy is an element that affects the way the reader interprets the scene without knowing it. In Gothic literature, metonymy usually makes for much “doom and gloom.” Blowing winds, howls, moans, sighs, and eerie sounds are all entwined within Frankenstein, illustrating Shelley’s use of metonymy. All of these are used to subtly reference the overall air of darkness and horror apparent in the novel.
The O Word All obsessions, whether moderate or serious, are described by the persistent and disturbing pre-occupation with someone or something. Obsessions, on the rarest occasions, contain the slightest amount of humor, but they oftentimes become so serious that they cross the line of insanity. Such insanity displays itself quite clearly when presented in the case of Victorian gothic literature, specifically in The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and The Turn of the Screw, by Henry James. In both of these literary works, the insane and obsessive tendencies of both of the protagonists causes them to encounter constant adversity, destruction, and unwanted conflict. In The Picture of Dorian Gray, the protagonist, Dorian Gray, becomes
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
Buried Alive Edgar Allan Poe is methodical in creating a gothic darkness and evil storyline provoking sympathy anger, and back to understanding the actions of evil that Montressor inflicted without impunity. Poe creates fantasy and reality, “his fiction often made fun of what he wrought best: terror tales”, (Fisher xv) with The Cask of Amontillado, leaving the reader to question self on how far would you go to avenge your pride, and your honor. The Cask of Amontillado, Montressor narrates a sinister plot to punish and bury Fortunato alive is implausible, however, understanding how antagonistic Fortunato was towards Montressor and the mass of insults delivered may change the readers mind. Poe uses two unusual settings to create the atmosphere in the story, a carnival at night which initially reads as fun, festive, and happiness and however, if you look beyond that carnivals also create an environment of madness, and chaos which releases Montressor freedom to implement his plan of revenge and his high level of evil in which Montressor lures Fortunato into the family catacombs to die. The first setting in the story of jovial, happiness, and jubilant behavior amongst the crowd allows a sense of freedom for Montressor to move and execute his plan without suspicion from Fortunato.