Terror Vs Horror Flashcards
(14 cards)
What is Ann Radcliffe’s distinction between terror and horror in Gothic literature?
Radcliffe distinguishes terror as expanding the soul through anticipation and suspense, while horror is the experience of physical revulsion and shock. Terror is psychological and imaginative; horror is sensational and graphic.
(Source: Radcliffe, On the Supernatural in Poetry, 1826)
What does Radcliffe say horror does to the soul?
Back: “Horror contracts, freezes and nearly annihilates them.”
She contrasts this with terror, which “expands the soul and awakens the faculties to a high degree of life.”
(On the Supernatural in Poetry, 1826)
How does The Bloody Chamber use terror rather than horror?
In Carter’s The Bloody Chamber, suspense builds through the protagonist’s gradual discovery of her husband’s secrets—e.g., the forbidden room—aligning with Radcliffean terror.
(Angela Carter, The Bloody Chamber, 1979)
Give a critic quote that supports Carter’s alignment with terror rather than horror.
Helen Simpson notes Carter “was drawn to the latent content beneath fairy tales,” which she explored through suspense and unease rather than outright horror.
(Source: Helen Simpson, Introduction to The Bloody Chamber, 2006)
Which text shows a blend of terror and horror and how?
The Bloody Chamber blends both: the build-up to the discovery of the murder room (terror), followed by the bloody corpses (horror). Carter deliberately contrasts the two for Gothic impact.
How can terror be seen in setting?
Terror is often rooted in uncanny, unfamiliar, or liminal settings that create suspense (e.g. dark forests, empty castles)
How can horror be seen in setting?
Horror is evoked by grotesque or decaying.
How can terror be scene in character?
Terror is often internal—seen through the psyche and fears of a character.
How can horror be scene in character?
Horror arises from what happens to the body.
How can terror be scene through narrative structure?
Narrative structure can sustain terror through delays, mystery, and ambiguity (e.g., unreliable narrators, limited information).
How can horror be scene in narrative structure?
Horror often breaks that suspense with revelation or climax.
What themes does terror explore?
Terror often explores themes like psychological repression, the sublime, or curiosity
What themes does horror explore?
Horror focuses on decay, violence, or transgression.
Why would a write transition from terror to horror?
To mirror the character’s psychological journey
- Terror reflects anticipation or the fear of the unknown, which aligns with early stages of dread.
- Horror occurs when the truth is revealed or a boundary is crossed, mirroring the character’s loss of control or innocence.
