Fear In Gothic Literature

Many people have at least read several novels that are classified as “horror”, such as “Frankenstein” by Mary Shelley. Yet, these texts would not have been possible if not for the authors during the Gothic era that laid the foundation for such works to be created by today’s novelists. The novels Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole and “Sir Bertrand” by Anna and John Aikin, give excellent examples on this subject. It was these works where the architectural environment helped give the text a sense of fear and impending doom on the character.
Aikin and Aikin, and Walpole use noises, made by the elements found in their hypothetical structures, to convey a sense of fear to the reader, through the character. For example Walpole uses wind to imply …show more content…
Walpole uses the castle setup to imply that there is no external source of light, and should the character lose her light source, she will be plunged into complete darkness. Without the most crucial of the five senses she will unable to distinguish friend from foe. “...she recollected a subterraneous passage which led from the castle to the church of St. Nicholas.”(Walpole 588). By doing almost the same, Aikin and Aikin, manage to convey the same sense of uncertainty along with vulnerability. “...he had a full view of a large antique mansion… The roof in various places was fallen in, the battlements were half demolished, and the windows broken and dismantled.”(Aikin and Aikin 592). Using manmade structures, Walpole, and Aikin and Aikin, create an environment where, the path through a potentially hazardous construction, is the only way of having even a chance at safety. Light was used by Walpole, and Aikin and Aikin to symbolize that the character may have a chance to survive their ordeal. Walpole uses light by giving the main character a single delicate light source to traverse a windy underground passage, thereby foreshadowing a dangerous situation. “...she seized a lamp that burned at the foot of the stair case… except now and then some blasts of wind that shook the doors she had passed…”(Walpole 588). Aikin and Aikin use light from a small fire to do something similar, however in this case the character is uncertain as to whether the flame is held by friend or foe. Thus, he is uncertain as to how to approach the potential threat. “He went up slowly, the flame retiring before him, till he came to a wide gallery-The flame proceeded along it, and he followed in silent horror…”(Aikin and Aikin 593). The light used in the Castle of Otranto and “Sir Bertrand” was used to foreshadow precarious situations for the main characters. Where they were left with an uncertainty as