Ann Radcliffe: A Pioneer of Romantic Gothic Literature

Ann Radcliffe

Ann Radcliffe was one of the first successful novelist’s to write about romantic gothic literature. It has been said that her choice in writing about romantic gothic literature was inspired by the French Revolution. Radcliffe’s life was drawn shortly, but that did not stop her from becoming quite successful with her gothic literature. She had received positive feedback from her critics. It is known that she will always be remembered in the history of English Literature.

Radcliffe was born in London, England on July 9, 1764. Her mother was a stay at home mom who wrote novels as a hobby. Her father was a haberdasher but later moved to Bath, England to manage a China shop. Radcliffe faced many challenges at the beginning of her career. She took a break from writing fiction because she was very emotional due to her critic’s bitter words concerning her novel “The Mysteries of the Castle”. “The Castle of Athlin and Dunbayne” did not sell well because the critics found several mistakes when she described the Scottish Highlands landscape. Radcliffe became a writer, although she did not originally plan on writing being her main source of income. When Radcliffe was only twenty-two, she married William Radcliffe. He had

The ‘Udolpho Woman’ or ‘the Shakespeare of Romance writer,’ as one contemporary reviewer called her, has achieved literature (Rollyson 747)”. After Radcliffe passed away, she was still loved by those who appreciated romantic gothic literature. “Following a common practice of Romance Writers, Radcliffe interspersed the lengthy prose passage of her novel with her own verses or with those from famous poets (Rollyson 745)”. Uncountable reports appeared after she passed away. It was suspected that she had a terminal illness caused by her novels because they somehow drove her insane. It was also rumored that she just mysteriously