T H E G O T H I C N O VE L

The Gothic Novel developed in the last decades of the 18th century at the same time with Early Romantic Poetry. The term gothic referred to what was medieval (primitive, mysterious, supernatural, complicated, rude) in opposition to what was classic (and so harmonious, balanced, simple, perfect). During the 18th century its meaning began to change and gradually it acquired more positive connotations, according with the raise of the new sensibility. The adjective gothic was first applied to architecture: gothic buildings were characterized by the use of pointed arch and a spiritual style; tall churches were built towards God. Still in architecture Gothic appears at the end of the 18th century and the New Gothic at the end of 19th century. In literature the term gothic was firstly used by Horace Walpole (1717-1797) who wrote The castle of Otranto and the book subtitle A Gothic story. The Gothic novel was really a development of the sentimental novel of the 18th century, to which the gothic novelists added the use of suspense, fear, supernatural and romantic settings: medieval places in Italy, ancient castles and ancient abbeys with secret places, high mountains and so isolated places; the setting in time was usually night. The gothic novel is based on the concept of sublime which produces owe. Main features of the Gothic novel: Great importance was given to terror (characterized by obscurity and uncertainty) and horror(characterized by evil and atrocity), as two different ingredients The most important setting in time was the night because darkness is a powerful element to create an atmosphere of gloom, oppression and mystery; The settings in place were ancient places, isolated castles, mysterious abbeys with secret passages, convents with hidden dungeons and secret rooms; The plots were complex, often complicated by embedded narratives; Supernatural beings (vampires, monsters, ghosts and witches) were used; The characters were usually stereotyped flat characters: there was always a heroine shy and fearful running in terror from a villain who is handsome but cruel; then there was a sensitive hero who saved the heroine from the villain.

TERROR
Emily, an unmarried orphan girl is taken to his secluded castle of Udolpho on the peak of a mountain. Here her uncle Montoni is the sole arbiter of justice and tries to extort the inheritance from Emily. The novel ends with the marriage of Emily and Valancourt and the orthodox moral message of the triumph of innocence and patience over evil. COMMENTO: The scene takes place during the night in Emilys dark bedroom. She is disturbed by a noise coming from the door of her room and then, when the door opened slowly she saw, or better, she perceived a mysterious form. Consequently this presence terrified her and the terror she felt had deprived her of the power of discrimination, as well as that of utterance. The narrator in this passage is an external narrator (third person) and he interprets what he sees, for the reader and so he doesnt just describe what he sees. The events are told by the narrators point of view. The general atmosphere of this passage is very gloomy and mysterious and it arouses suspense and curiosity.