Nightmares are used to depict the fear experienced by characters in these novel. The portrayal of nightmares in Gothic literature is done for the purpose of adding elements such as terror and horror. The dungeons of castles, secret passageways and other such elements of Gothic literature adds to the enigma that surround the characters in these stories. These are ideal settings to weave a story that revolves around terror, horror and supernatural events. are the settings used for storytelling in Gothic novels. Environment and SettingĪ forest area, mountains, stormy weather, etc. Objects or paraphernalia which help create the Gothic atmosphere are the burial vaults, suits of armor, flickering candles, portraits, evil potions, etc. A typical Gothic atmosphere is created with the help of this element. Something that is beyond our understanding leads to the development of mystery. It is the soul of Gothic literature and governs the entire process of storytelling. The different Gothic literature elements are dealt with, in this article. There are many aspects of Gothic literature other than terror.
Human beings have a strange fascination with terror and the Gothic novels provide them (readers) with an opportunity to experience that terror, that thrill passively. Mystery and terror depicted in these novels were the factors capable of attracting attention of people and in making this form of literature popular in those times. For example, the castle was a common feature in most of the Gothic novels. The word, Gothic became associated with this literature because of the similar settings used in the novels. The dark period of medieval times was portrayed in this literature. The Gothic form of literature was the product of socio-political conditions that prevailed in medieval Europe.
His novel, The Castle of Otranto (1764) had all the ingredients that are found in Gothic novels. Horace Walpole is the novelist credited with the invention of Gothic genre. These novels recreate the atmosphere of medieval times and take us into a world of tragedy, fear and horrifying events. The mysterious world of Gothic novels is created with the help of elements such as a medieval setting, tyrants, villains, damsels, omens, curses, etc.
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