Synthèse: The gothic literature - Dracula- Bram Stocker

Rigoux                                                                                                        TL1

Claire

Synthèse gothic literature

In this chapter we saw the gothic fiction.  Gothic fiction is characterized by the elements of fear, by the supernatural like vampire or ghost. It's a genre that combines fiction, horror and Romanticism. The main characters are bandits, maniacs, persecuted maidens or also vampires... Other elements that characterize this type of fiction might include mystery, romance, terror, the supernatural, haunted houses and Gothic architecture, castles, darkness, death... We will study the subject with a parody written by Jane Austen, an extract of Dracula and the movie Edward Scissorhands. In a first part we will see the the fear in the gothic works, in a second part we will study the feeling of love, and in the last part the feeling of the reader/spectator.

Today, we associate often the gothic with the horror, but it's not the same thing.  In the gothic literature, there aren't horror. We don't see body mutilated blood, etc. The horror is more psychological, it's more terror than horror.

The terror is represent by the characters. Like in Dracula, a book written by Bram Stocker in 1897, the main character is a vampire who want the blood of innocent victim. In our extract, the victim is Jonathan a young and naïve lawyer invited by the count. In the scene Jonathan just beginning to shave when the count arrive. The lawyer is surprised because he couldn't see Dracula in the mirror, and cut himself. The vampire became crazy and enter in demonic fury. Later Jon will understand that he is stuck in count's house. In this extract the characters are typically gothic.

We find often in this literary genre a victim who is innocent, she is young and naïve , it's usually woman who is persecuted. In the extract, the victim is a man, i'ts Jonathan. The second type of character is the villain, he is frequently supernatural, like demon, ghost or vampire like Dracula.

The fear is also caused by the décor. A huge mansion in the middle of nowhere or an abbey like in the extract of the parody written by Jane Austen. The scene take place in Northanger abbey, it's gloomy.  In dracula the Castel of the count is situated on the top off a hill, on the edge of a terrific precipice. It's an isolate place and surrounded by magnificent landscape. It look imposing and locked, like a prison where nobody can escape. The décor let imagination take one's place, they are places damp and dark.

The décor create a atmosphere really special, which is increase by the ambiance of the gothic literature. Climate is create with the darkness and the nose but also with feelings of the character. Like in the extract of Jane Austen's parody. Cathering is panic-stricken. She heard noses like squeaking door, floor creaking,  and the darkness is impenetrable.  

The fear in the gothic is really important she's one of the most important characteristic of the genre. But it's not the only feeling, because the gothic literature a mixture of sacry and romantic.

...