Gothic literature Essay Example for Free

Gothic literature EssayIn response to the question is knightly literature purely escapist? considering Austens Northanger Abbey and Walpoles novel The Castle of Ontranto, which is recognized as exquisite much establishing the music genre, the answer is yes. Castle of Ontranto Brief Plot summary The plot of Castle begins full swag as Conrad, son of Manfred of house Otranto, is crushed by a giant helmet on his wedding day, likewise his birthday. Because of the marriages political connections, Manfred decides to divorce his wife, Hippolita, and marry Conrads betrothed, Isabella. Amid speculations about an ancient prophecy claiming That the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the sincere owner should be grown too large to inhabit it, Manfreds second union is disrupted by a series of supernatural events involving many oversized limbs, ghosts, mysterious blood, and a true prince (Wikipedia). Castle of Ontranto represents the quintessentia l Gothic story. It created the genre. Key examples of this place be seen as follows1 Note that Gothic literature is escapist through the use of contrasting specific elements to create conflict and draw the attention of the reader. (the main ideas or so common in these two novels are horror vs romance, good vs evil, and the element of mystery basically the cognize vs the unknown. ) The Castle of Ontranto opens with the line Manfred, Prince of Otranto, had one son and one daughter the latter, a most beautiful virgin, decrepit eighteen, was called Matilda (chp1). This is a very fantastic scenario from the main character being a Prince to the daughter being a beautiful eighteen year old virgin in an era when many women in esteemed families were married off by the age of 14. The author goes on to point out how the son Conrad tierce years younger than Matilda is deplorable sickly frail and pale. The act of immediately contrasting Conrads ugly sickliness with Matildas beauty and pu re virginity, significantly defines the gothic genre, which is literally defined as an important genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. -Another important contrast other than horror and romance is good and evil. This can be seen in Walpoles novel through the differences in the characters. The Castle of Otranto revolves around a damn that has been placed upon the family of Manfred, controlr of the principality of Otranto. The curse is slightly ill defined, but apparently threatens the end of Manfreds rule and destruction of his family. Manfred is a greedy man who plots and schemes to outwit this curse.He is clearly the villain of the novel and contrasts strongly with the three leading women, Hippolita his wife, Matilda his daughter and Isabella the intended wife of his son. These women represent the forces of good throughout the novel. eyeshade Heroines in gothic books as well as in contemporary horror is a common theme a major example of this bein g emphasized in Northanger abbey can be seen when Austen says,Chapter 1 except from fifteen to seventeen she was in training for a heroine she read all such works as heroines must read to supply their memories with those quotations which are so serviceable and so soothing in the vicissitudes of their eventfuly lives. (page 9) NOTE examples of Romance as a theme in Northanger Abbey Friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love. Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey In every power, of which taste is the foundation, excellence is pretty fairly divided between the sexes. Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey, 1818