Gothic Novels Flashcards
1
Q
Term
A
- name comes from gothic architecture; revival of interest in the past (medievalism), rebuying castles, rebuilding in gothic style
- origin: The Castle of Otranto (1764) by Horace Walpole - contains essentially all the elements that constitute the genre
1
Q
Setting: Castle/Mansion
A
- old castle/mansion; sometimes abandoned
- secret passages, trap doors, secret rooms,
2
Q
Nature
A
- wild, untamed nature; storms, rain, lightening flash, arctic ice
- out of romanticism: romantic movement against enlightenment (reason), there is more to life (wonder, beauty, deep emotion) nature typfied it - gothic movement goes with the wild side
- nature as powerful and awe-inspiring
3
Q
Atmosphere of Mystery and Suspense
A
- threatening feeling, a fear enhanced by the unknown
4
Q
The Supernatural
A
- ghosts,giants walking, inanimate objects (suit of armor, painting) coming to life
-doesn’t have to be supernatural - can have rational explaining - e.g. Mysteries of Udolpho has reasonable explanation
5
Q
The Past
A
- past involves itself heavily on the present
- some kind of backstory behind everything; ancient prophecy; once a person who lived in the house…; can’t outrun the past
6
Q
The Sublime
A
take the emotions to an elevated level, to where they are overpowering, being overawed by nature/emotion - the human experience of being overwhelmed by a feeling, achieved by description of intense emotion
6
Q
Confinement
A
- sense of being trapped; can’t escape the inevitable; anxiety; vulnerability
7
Q
Metonymy
A
- subtype of metaphor, in which something (like rain) is used to stand for something else (like sorrow)
- piece of nature stands for a feeling
8
Q
Hyperbolic Phrases
A
- adjectives are used to amplify nouns in order to
- create phrases that increase the feeling of dread, horror, anxiety, or suspense: deep grief, gigantic creature
