Gothic Literature:Response 1 (iqra tariq)

In the beginning, I sort of was familiar with gothic literature, but very vaguely. When I began to read “The Castle of Otranto” Horace Walpole I was able to see how this book portrayed gothic literature around the 1800s. The small details such as Manfred looking for Isabella, while she is escaping through the trap door. The sounds of the footsteps and the fear of being caught and captured by a scary figure, and that any wrong movement, could get you caught. It showed how gothic literature wanted to bring a fear and an unknown into people’s mind for just a while and to open their minds. Gothic Literature not only tried to bring a bit fear in people mind but also how it portrayed gender and sexuality. “It is no mere coincidence that the cult of gothic fiction reached its apex at the very moment when gender and sexuality were beginning to be codified for modern culture.” In a way, things such as incest, pedophilia, and sadism were codified in the modern culture but were able to be seen through gothic literature. In the literature “The castle of Otranto” we see how gender plays a big role. The women are meant to be obedient to their husband or father. They have no control over their lives, which just shows how some men such as Manfred took their power and abused it. Certain examples would be when Manfred forces Isabella to marry him, how badly he treats his wife and daughter, as if their burdens. This treatment not only shows incest and pedophilia but how women if they had no “use” they would be considered a burden.”The castle of Otranto” was able to show just how scary a person can become and how far they would go to obtain their wants.”Terror is almost always sexual terror” Showing how men used the power of their sex to achieve their goals. Both power and sexuality played big roles in gothic literature and showed a few of the aspects that defined gothic literature.