![]() 'The Fall of the House of Usher' (1839).Poe’s mystery tales take on Gothic influence with a vengeance they are occasionally ironic, mostly macabre, and filled with vivid imagery. A mystery of some sort, such as a locked room or lost treasure.Īmerican Gothic literature is primarily associated with Edgar Allan Poe.Haunted houses/graveyards/ruined abbeys, castles or palaces.Typical characteristics of the Gothic novel include: The Gothic also speaks to our secret fears, beliefs, and superstitions of the unknown, such as wearing garlic at the threat of a vampire, or pouring salt at your door to prevent spirits from entering the house. ![]() Gothic Novel: CharacteristicsĪt its heart, Gothicism is fascinated with death and all its trappings – the afterlife, decay, and the undead. Isabella escapes with the help of a local peasant called Theodore who turns out to be the true heir of Otranto.Īlthough Walpole called his tale a Gothic tale in its second edition, he did not use the term again the word ‘Gothic’ in this context came into use largely during the 19th century. As he attempts to seize Isabella, however, the ghost of his father appears, distracting him. Manfred decides to marry his son’s bride, Isabella, in his place. ![]() His son is killed by a giant helmet falling from the sky, crushing him on the day of his wedding. In the story, Prince Manfred is desperate for an heir to continue the family line. Fittingly, Walpole wrote it as the result of a vivid dream he had. The story contains phantoms, visions, a family curse, and secret passages. It is set during the Crusades in Italy in a medieval castle that is home to Prince Manfred of Otranto. Horace Walpole is largely credited with writing the first Gothic novel: The Castle of Otranto (1764). ![]() There may also be secret passages, underground labyrinths, and locked rooms that nobody may enter – or, if they do, they may never be heard of again. Often, the castle, manor or estate seems to take a life of its own as it plays tricks with the minds of its inhabitants.Possible elements of Gothic novels (that you may have already come across!) include ghosts, mysterious aristocrats who can change into bats, paintings that come alive and invite you to step in, walking statues, shadows that have a will of their own, or objects that move by themselves. The setting in the Gothic novel is of utmost importance, as it sets the atmosphere for the story. Gothic novels are often set in a decaying castle, mansion, or abbey, and contain mystery, suspense, terror, or something otherworldly that cannot be rationally explained. A Gothic novel can be characterised by its setting and content. ![]()
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