A Study of "The Gothic Elements in Romantic Literature" With A Focus on Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe's Works

Authors

  • Ravi B Bagthaliya

Abstract

This research paper begins a thorough investigation of Gothic aspects found in Romantic literature, with a focus on Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe's contributions. Gothic literature has always captivated readers and academics alike due to its creepy settings, paranormal components, and themes of dread and the unknown. In the broader context of Romanticism, this paper explores how Edgar Allan Poe's and Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" both embody and surpass the Gothic tradition.

The research entails a thorough examination of crucial Gothic components found in the chosen works, including the sublime, the grotesque, the uncanny, and the macabre. This essay reveals the subtle ways in which Shelley and Poe use Gothic conventions to address important societal issues of their respective eras, such as scientific ethics, mortality, and psychological horror. It does this through rigorous textual examination and comparative analysis.

Furthermore, this study emphasised how these authors' contributions to Gothic Romanticism have impacted succeeding generations of authors as well as the broader field of speculative fiction. This research not only deepens our comprehension of literary history but also illustrates the Gothic's on-going fascination within the larger literary fabric as we travel through the mysterious and ominous corridors of Gothic Romanticism.

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References

Shelley, Mary. "Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus." Published in 1818. Penguin Classics, 2003.

Poe, Edgar Allan. "The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe." Published by Barnes & Noble Classics, 2003.

Botting, Fred. "Gothic." Routledge, 2001.

Hogle, Jerrold E. "The Cambridge Companion to Gothic Fiction." Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Punter, David. "Gothic Pathologies: The Text, the Body, and the Law." Palgrave Macmillan, 1998.

Forry, Steven Earl. "Uncanny Bodies: The Coming of Sound Film and the Origins of the Horror Genre." Film Quarterly, vol. 46, no. 3, 1993, pp. 2-15.

Cantor, Paul A. "Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' and the Spectacle of Masculinity." PMLA, vol. 108, no. 2, 1993, pp. 253-267.

Smith, Johanna M. "Reimagining the Gothic in 'Frankenstein' and 'Wuthering Heights'." Studies in Romanticism, vol. 35, no. 4, 1996, pp. 575-594.

Carlson, Julie A. "The Bearer of the Body: Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein'." Journal of Popular Culture, vol. 27, no. 3, 1993, pp. 35-47.

The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore. https://www.eapoe.org/

The Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Resource Center. https://www.mary-shelley-frankenstein.com/

The Gothic Literature page from The British Library. https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/gothic-literature

Additional Files

Published

10-06-2023

How to Cite

Ravi B Bagthaliya. (2023). A Study of "The Gothic Elements in Romantic Literature" With A Focus on Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe’s Works. Vidhyayana - An International Multidisciplinary Peer-Reviewed E-Journal - ISSN 2454-8596, 8(6). Retrieved from https://j.vidhyayanaejournal.org/index.php/journal/article/view/1011