The fact that The Castle of Otranto is a Gothic text, already equips it with several features that contribute to the semantic charging of space within the tale. Within this space, or a combination of such spaces, are hidden some secrets from the past […] that haunt the characters, psychologically, physically, or otherwise at the main time of the story Hogle 2. They are also physically and psychologically haunted by their own passions, as for example Isabella - indicated by the quotation at the beginning of this essay - tries to escape the castle and the passions of her actual father-in-law, Manfred.
Hogle argues that the supernatural hauntings in Gothic tales - which in The Castle of Otranto are connected with the prophecy - can take many forms, but they frequently assume the features of ghosts, spectres, or monsters […] 2. It can be argued that the prophecy comprises the basic cause that makes the castle a haunted place, and therewith a semantically charged space. So, the castle with its surroundings operates as a semantic carrier as it is cursed by the prophecy. This function is stressed by several supernatural incidents that occur within its walls, and demonstrate that the space is haunted.
Furthermore, he mentions that it will end in a catastrophe cf. Moreover, the semantic charging of space in The Castle of Otranto is due to the boundedness of the setting which evokes several emotional reactions in the characters and also the reader. Space is confined to the castle, its nearby church and convents, as well as to the caverns in some distance to it. In almost every mentioned place in the castle, the atmosphere is described as creepy, and sooner or later supernatural incidents happen.
The depiction of the place definitely stresses the confinedness of the princess in the castle. Harris 2. Isabella is not only caught in the place itself, fearing Manfred to find her, but also in her own panic which makes it difficult for her to find her way through the labyrinth. With the help of Father Jerome, who detects that Theodore is his son, the young man gets around the death sentence, and is then taken hostage in the castle cf.
Manfred wants to blackmail Jerome who shall deliver Isabella back cf. Elements of the Gothic Novel. Version Date: August 6, , accessed on March 27, C G Christina Gieseler Author. Add to cart. The Semantic Charging of Space in The Castle of Otranto […] An awful silence reigned throughout those subterraneous regions, except now and then some blasts of wind that shook the doors [Isabella] had passed, and which grating on the rusty hinges were re-echoed through that long labyrinth of darkness.
Sign in to write a comment. Gothic literature is the literature of love and terror. This genre of fiction is considered the new literary movement. It has many characteristics that distinguish it amongst all available genres in the English literature. The most significant characteristic of both, old, and new Gothic literatures is the existence of the plot. One can argue that without the plot, Gothic literature would make no sense. Horace Walpole was the first Gothic writer who invented the Gothic story.
His first novel, The. Gothic literature is a deliciously terrifying blend of horror and romance. The height of Gothic literature, which was closely aligned with Romanticism, is usually considered to have been. After Walpole the word assumed two new major meanings: first, vigorous, bold, heroic and ancient, and second, quaint, charming, romantic, perhaps a little decadent in its association with. Gothic was frequently correlated with things that were savage, uncultivated and blunt, but, fascinatingly, it also developed into an association with legislative rights, picking up a positive connotation on the way.
In the middle of the 12th century, in France started a Gothic architectural wave, characterized by the usage of elements such as. Supernatural elements is something that cannot be explained by the laws of nature. These elements, such as religious figures and activities, ghosts, witches and anthropomorphized animals have been used to develop themes throughout literature. These supernatural elements are often used to outline the conflict within the plot and creates an atmosphere of mystery and suspense throughout the text, which establishes the gothic.
Supernatural components leave us to question what is real and what is our. It was the first Gothic novel and became extremely popular in the late 18th and 19th century. The novel shows several Gothic elements such as mysterious settings, mysterious and suspenseful atmospheres, ancient prophecy, visions, high emotion, supernatural events, and women in distress.
The novel shows basically all the elements of Gothic Literature. The novel is a medieval tale of knights, romance , curses, and horror. Manfred persuades Isabella to marry Conrad who is only fifteen years old. Which leads him to then try and force Isabella to marry him. Isabella is horrified but escapes him with the help of Theodore, a peasant who has been imprisoned in the castle by Manfred. The setting in the novel is a gothic element of mysterious settings which puts the reader in suspense.
The whole novel takes place in and out of the castle which gives you a creepy feeling. The setting of the novel shows the reader that there are hidden secrets from everyone in the story. The castle contains secret passageways, hidden staircases, and trap doors.
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