“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.” American poet Edgar Allen Poe’s words describe gothic feelings felt by the Phantom and the creature in two well-known works of fiction. A novel receives the genre, gothic, when the piece of literature meets specific requirements. Gothic elements compose and support a novel’s theme in the author’s intended manner. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical, Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall (2011), hold several elements of gothic literature in which support their dark stories of love, rejection, and death. Frankenstein includes supernatural occurrences
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Characters in the story are overcome by emotions that lead to sobbing, anger, or terror; in which their reactions are often over dramatic. Mary Shelley herself has experienced horror, becoming inspiration for Frankenstein. Academic journalist Ronald Britton writes, “Her night terror begins its daytime transformation when the dreamer becomes the author with a story that will terrify others” (Britton 5). Britton states that Shelley’s dreams formed the creation of a brilliant gothic novel meant to scare others. Shelley became fearful of supernatural events occurring among her. Gothic literature commonly includes ghosts or other unrealistic, supernatural objects. In Frankenstein, the creation of the creature is the supernatural event. “…And my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs” (Shelley 73). This portion of the novel displays the supernatural element of the novel. The creature comes to life after dead body parts previously constructing him. Shelley’s Frankenstein portrays various gothic elements; however, key fragments stitch the theme together creating a classic and unique
Characters in the story are overcome by emotions that lead to sobbing, anger, or terror; in which their reactions are often over dramatic. Mary Shelley herself has experienced horror, becoming inspiration for Frankenstein. Academic journalist Ronald Britton writes, “Her night terror begins its daytime transformation when the dreamer becomes the author with a story that will terrify others” (Britton 5). Britton states that Shelley’s dreams formed the creation of a brilliant gothic novel meant to scare others. Shelley became fearful of supernatural events occurring among her. Gothic literature commonly includes ghosts or other unrealistic, supernatural objects. In Frankenstein, the creation of the creature is the supernatural event. “…And my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs” (Shelley 73). This portion of the novel displays the supernatural element of the novel. The creature comes to life after dead body parts previously constructing him. Shelley’s Frankenstein portrays various gothic elements; however, key fragments stitch the theme together creating a classic and unique