Fainting In Anne Radcliffe's A Sicilian Romance

Why is swooning a common action taken by the heroine in romance novels? Surprisingly, fainting is a rather common event in eighteenth century literature. Some scholars say fainting was a contagious craze in order for women to express their sensibility, but others say that there were real physical causes behind these fainting fits. Sometimes it is questioned whether or not feminine characters in romance novels faint for dramatic effect, or whether there is something seriously wrong with their health. Focusing on Jane Austen’s juvenilia, “Love and Freindship,” and Anne Radcliffe’s gothic novel, A Sicilian Romance, it can be determined whether the heroines mentioned in these works fainted for the right reasons or simply for the sake of dramatic effect. Although fainting could have been the sign of a physical ailment, fainting in the eighteenth century was a subject of literature rather than of medicine as it expresses their utmost sensibility.
Sensibility emerged as a notion during the Enlightenment Era and carried on into the Romantic Period (Powell). In life, and specifically in literature, some sought to display their sensibility by blushing, weeping, or fainting. Many of these individuals were females, but males also took part in displaying their sensibility and emotions in similar ways. The reason why these characters partake in such …show more content…
In this work, Julia is the younger sister of Emelia, as they are the daughters of the Marquis. As the plot of this story concerns the fallen nobility of the house of Mazzini, there are many moments throughout this story where the act of fainting takes place, as it is not meant to be viewed as an act at all. The fainting instances that happen throughout this novel are not meant to be humorous and are actions taken not only by females, but also