Gothic Novel - The Terror

Gothic Novel had few alterations, their most important characteristics were: 1. Terror and Horror, the first characterised by obscurity and uncertainty and the second by evil and atrocity. 2. The night as the most important setting because darkness creates an atmosphere of fear and mistery. 3. Ancient settings like castles and mysterious abbeys with secret passages and rooms. 4. Heroines, often victimes of passion and fear, and heroes, who save them against villains. The Castle of Otranto, written by Ann Radcliffe, was the first Gothic Novel ( Publishede 1764), and it was followed by the Mysteries of Udolpho by he same author and the Monk by Mattew Lewis, and Frankenstein by Mary Shelly. The Novel was written by Ann Radcliffe. This passage is taken from “ The Mistery of Udolpho”. The Story takes place in Tuscany, Emily is an orphan girl, who lived secluded in the Castle of Udolpho in Tuscany. Montoni who was Emily’s tyrannical uncle wanted Emily’s inheritance for him self. One night Emily heard a noise, coming from the staircase. She got up from bed, moved the curtains, but couldn’t anything becouse the light on the heard was weak. The noise continued and seemed provoked by rusty bolts. Emily saw the door slowly open, and them she saw mysterious form that seemed to be a human figure. Emily kept on looking at the figure, that stood still. Terror deprived her of the power of discrimination as well as that of utterance. The girl helped by her servants, managed to escape and to reach Valancourt. The men she loved that she finally married. So the novel finished with the triumph of innucence and love over evil.