The Gothic Genre Is More Stereotyped in Classic Literature

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The Gothic genre is more stereotyped in classic literature. Explore in Stephanie Meyers ‘Twilight’ and ‘Dracula’ by Bram Stoker. Vampire legends have been a part of popular folklore in many parts of the world since ancient times. Throughout the Middle Ages and even into the modern era, reports of corpses rising from the dead with supernatural powers achieved widespread credence. The presentation of such creatures however, has morphed over time. Stoker relies heavily on the conventions of Gothic fiction, a genre that was extremely popular in the early nineteenth century. Gothic fiction traditionally includes elements such as gloomy castles, sublime landscapes, ‘Of bell or knocker there was no sign. Through these frowning walls and dark window openings it was not likely my voice could penetrate’. ‘Dracula’ contains all of the criteria of for a Gothic novel. The book’s main antagonist is the infamous Count Dracula, a vampire: a fiend who sucks the blood from the living, turns into mist and wolves, and spreads pestilence and insanity. The main protagonists of the books, mainly Jonathan Harker, Mina Murray, and Dr. Van Helsing, are on a quest: to slay the vampire and his evil intentions on humanity. Along the way, they encounter sickness, madness, deception, pain (emotional and physical) and death. Whilst not being classed as a piece of Gothic Literature Stephanie Meyers ‘Twilight’ does contain a lot of the similar conventions to that of ‘Dracula’. With the threat of antagonist ‘James’ on the tail of the supernatural Coven of vampires known as the Cullen’s, is a supernatural creature along with many other characters in the novel. This looming threat to Bella leads Edwards on a dark adventure to save his ‘love’. Both Novels are told from the perspective of one character, a participant narration, in ‘Twilight’ we are led through the novel in the eyes of Bella. In
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