Buy research paper on The Gothic Elements of Frankenstein
The purpose of this paper is to examine the essence of the Gothic novel, its main characteristics and artistic effects. It is necessary to consider Gothic elements in the novel “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley, and determine why the author used specific techniques, how does the gothic genre shapes the plot, character and setting.
Before we analyze and compare the features of the novel “Frankenstein”, it is necessary to clarify some important issues, namely: to clarify what kind of fear cause “Gothic” narrative techniques discussed in this paper, to explore the literary and aesthetic context in which was formed the Gothic novel of XVIII – XIX centuries, and to determine the chronological boundaries of the genre.
THE GOTHIC NOVEL AND ITS MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
The term “Gothic” originated in the Renaissance and was used to describe the artistic style that has completed the development of medieval art in the Western, Central and some Eastern Europe. In the art of this period (in architecture, sculpture) allegorical products were combined with the new system of spiritual aspirations, lyrical emotions, associated with the new interest in the real world, nature, richness of experience. “Gothic” in those days meant “barbarian” in contrast to the “Roman”, as Gothic art did not follow the ancient traditions. At the same time the word “gothic” was transferred to the literature. (Roberts-Mulbey, 1998)
Gothic novel, or the “black novel”, is the one filled with a mysterious adventure, and this mystery has emerged as a reaction to the outlook and aesthetics of the European Enlightenment. The definition of the genre was connected with a particular interest of the authors to the Gothic of Middle Ages – the conception of the world as an arena of eternal struggles between good and evil, heaven and infernal, God and the devil. The Gothic novel has a clear chronology and history: it was “born” in England at the end of XVIII century and found development in the works of H. Walpole, A. Radcliffe, S. Smith, M. Lewis, CR Maturin, Shelley M. and B. Stoker, as well as such famous writers as Byron, Hawthorne, Hoffmann, Hugo, Merimee, Wilde, etc. “The Castle of Otranto” H. Walpole marked the beginning of the genre and defined its main principles and characteristics.
The Gothic novel was established as a literary genre by the end of the eighteenth century, when the number of works in this genre began to grow. The genre is based on the feeling of horror with supernatural elements (“horrors”), mysterious adventures, fantasy and mysticism. The action in Gothic novels is usually set in medieval castles, monasteries, caves, which gives novels some dark and mysterious, even sinister flavor. Life in the Gothic novel, or as it was called “a horror novel,” appears mysterious, full of rock mysteries and supernatural powers. (Roberts-Mulbey, 1998)
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