"The Eyes" by Edith Wharton was quite a weird short story and is by no means, my favorite of the ones we have read so far. The language was a little more difficult to understand at times and I felt a little confused, especially in the beginning with Wharton's syntax. However, the story inside the story, of Culwin's eyes was very interesting. I felt there was a little bit of a sexual undertone to the story as a whole, but especially in the story Culwin tells. In the beginning, the narrator says "we had been put in the mood for ghost," which was an oddly phrased sentence to me. But when I read the story for the second time and had realized the sexual undertone of Culwin's story. I realized that the narrator had the same sexual undertone. The narrator's description of Culwin had the …show more content…
same undertone as he describes his host as one "who sat back in his arm-chair, listening and blinking through the smoke circles with the cheerful tolerance of a wide old idol." It made me think of the descriptions of older man who girls fond over. In the story, there was Alice who Culwin had been engaged too, and while there was kissing and proposals, the real sexual descriptions came when Culwin was talking about Noyes, his apprentice in Europe.
"But he was beautiful to see, and charming as a comrade." And even though to Culwin, Noyes had no writing talent, he kept him around because he was worried of Noyes' disappointed face. Culwin kept Noyes around for quite a while, and seemed more worried about his thoughts then he had Alice when they were briefly engaged. As for the gothic elements in the book, obviously the eyes that Culwin sees are the “meta gothic” that is shown, but the description of Culwin and where the group converses also have a gothic tone to it, “Seen through the haze of our cigars, and by the drowsy gleam of a coal fire, Culwin’s library, with its oak wall and dark old bindings, made a good setting for such evocations.” Besides the ghostly eyes and the setting I don’t see many other gothic elements. As for what Wharton was raging about, I’m not hundred percent sure, but I feel like its on the social standard that people shouldn’t do nice things for other people and that looking out for yourself is the best
policy. Culwin’s only sees the eyes after he does done nice things for others like asking Alice to marry him and lying to Noyes’ about his ability to write.
For this literary analysis I am working with Edith Wharton’s short story “Roman Fever”. From the beginning of the story it is easy to see that Wharton uses gender stereotypes, from the time that the story is set in, to expose perennial antagonism of true human nature. The story’s two main charters, Grace Ansley and Alida Slide, early on in the story already have some past tension that continues to develop into a heated exchange until the shocking twist towards the end of the story. Gender stereotypes in Roman fever play an important role in creating tension between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley that ultimately leads to reason of why there is an underlying conflict between the two.
Key Elements of Gothic Literature Jasmine Giles People enjoy reading gothic literature due to its heart rate exciting nature. Without having to engage with any real danger, it is common for the reader to feel anxiety and impaitence when reading gothic fiction. In order for the reader to feel these emotions, the author uses certain elements, such as a gloomy setting and old-fashioned dialoge. In the stories “The Black Cat” and “The Tell Tale Heart”, by elgar allen poe, and “The Landlady”, by Roland Dahl, there are many similarites that remanticize the idea of horror and mystery. Some elements, however, bring out the disbolical horror of gothic literature: the setting, characterization, and the motif of suspense.
Gothic Literature was a natural progression from romanticism, which had existed in the 18th Century. Initially, such a ‘unique’ style of literature was met with a somewhat mixed response; although it was greeted with enthusiasm from members of the public, literary critics were much more dubious and sceptical.
Written in 1818, the latter stages of the Gothic literature movement, at face value this novel embodies all the key characteristics of the Gothic genre. It features the supernatural, ghosts and an atmosphere of horror and mystery. However a closer reading of the novel presents a multifaceted tale that explores
popular at the time. The elements of a Gothic novel are, it is set at
Due to the conventions included in the novel, this is a perfect example of a gothic novel. The novel evokes in the audience fear and anticipation of the novels plot. The 19th century audience would have been overwhelmed with terror whilst reading the novel as the atmosphere creates suspense and the pace of the novel is fast.
Word by word, gothic literature is bound to be an immaculate read. Examining this genre for what it is could be essential to understanding it. “Gothic” is relating to the extinct East Germanic language, people of which known as the Goths. “Literature” is defined as a written work, usually with lasting “artistic merit.” Together, gothic literature combines the use of horror, death, and sometimes romance. Edgar Allan Poe, often honored with being called the king of horror and gothic poetry, published “The Fall of House Usher” in September of 1839. This story, along with many other works produced by Poe, is a classic in gothic literature. In paragraph nine in this story, one of our main characters by the name of Roderick Usher,
This section shows how characters are emotionally isolated which is an element of gothic literature. Not only do the people around the protagonist choose to isolate themselves, but he partakes in it too, as he judges them for their own lack of social behavior. The fact that there is a great amount of opportunity to do so also reinforces how far they have brought their minds into seclusion.
In conclusion to this essay, having examined these 19th century gothic texts, it is fair to say that normative gender behaviour and sexuality pervades them. This element gives the reader a deep insight into the culture context of the time in which these stories are situated. It enables the reader to delve into the darker sides of humanity at that time, that they would not have been able to do otherwise.
From the beginning of the novel, the main character, Jane encounters the supernatural. Charlotte Bronte uses both supernatural and gothic themes to enhance situations for the reader and to develop the characters. In particular natural imageries have been used to convey a human connection with the natural world and human nature (Franklin, 1995). Eyre portrays the intrinsic struggle between supernatural and the effects of nature. Branflinger and Thesing (2002) argue that Bronte used Gothic and the supernatural to explore and portray the darkest alleys of her own psyche which Bronte was deeply disturbed by (p309).
Each author sets a gothic tone first and foremost by the techniques used to describe setting and characters. Irving and Hawthorne set their stories in ghostly mysterious forests. Each author uses phenomenal to truly connect the reader with the stories. Hawthorne’s use of similes to tie in what the forest was like gives a sense of letting the readers feel like they are there with young goodman Brown, “ . . . surrounded by four blazing pines, their tops aflame, their stems
The term ‘Gothic’ conjures a range of possible meanings, definitions and associations. It explicitly denotes certain historical and cultural phenomena. Gothicism was part of the Romantic Movement that started in the eighteenth century and lasted about three decades into the nineteenth century. For this essay, the definition of Gothic that is applicable is: An 18th century literary style characterized by gloom and the supernatural. In the Gothic novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, a wide range of issues are explored. Frankenstein represents an entirely new vision of the female Gothic, along with many other traditional themes such as religion, science, colonialism and myth.
Southern Gothic literature is a group of words bonded together to set a mood, message, plot, etc. Overall Southern Gothic Literature can be interesting and creepy at the same time, its style has been practiced for many years by southern writers which are located in the American South. Its popular writings have grew from generation to generation and is now a world wide genre. Works Cited Alice, Petry. A Rose for Emily.’
the elements of a gothic novel as it is not set in a remote place or a
Thought the entire story there is a constant uncanny element, the unreliable narrator, and with it the questioning reader. In “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, the reader is forced to think whether they should believe the ramblings of a crazy and unreliable narrator or not. This really brings out the uncanny in the story.