Examples Of Tenebrosity In Gothic Literature

Prevalence of Tenebrosity in Gothic Romanticism
Throughout Gothic literature, common themes, styles, and objects can be found. Edgar Allan Poe, for instance, often portrayed a narrator whose sanity was questionable. This tactic, among others of Gothic literature, are used often in today's writings such as Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. In varying instances, works of Gothic authors and Riggs share a common theme - isolation - displayed through description of setting, eerie diction and imagery.
The literary setting communicates important details regarding the situation and characteristics of a subject; isolation is frequently one of these details. In Miss Peregrine's the main character, Jacob, believes his "[o]nly friend,” Rickey, is acting as a friend to support an unspoken contract in which

Ricky "[helps him] not get killed by the roided-out sociopaths who [prowl] the halls of [their] school"(Riggs 30-31). This describes setting of Jacob’s school, highlighting that he feels alone and strengthening his emotions as he condemns his peers. This is also reflected in the work, "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner, in which, Miss Emily's house is spatially isolated. It is the "only... [h]ouse... left", and "an eyesore among eyesores" (Faulkner 1). Also, much like Jacob, she is proven to be a social outcast when a towns person states, "a deputation waited upon her, at her door through which no visitors had past since she had ceased giving China lessons 10 years ago" (Faulkner 1). This illustrates that Emily has been alone where she lives, and thus encourages the depiction of isolation through development of the setting.
In addition, gothic literature contains the use of eerie diction to display isolation to the reader. An example of this is found in “The Oval Portrait” by Edgar Allan Poe when the narrator states, "The Chateau into which my valet had ventured to make a forcible entrance, rather permit me, in my desperately wounded condition... To all appearance had been temporarily and very recently abandoned" (Poe 1). Here, it is made clear to the reader that the narrator is not only isolated in the building, but also wounded and trespassing with no known reason as to why the ominous house has been abandoned. Similarly, in Miss Peregrine’s, when Jacob has travels to the island, he finds the desolate house that he believes contains the secret to his grandfather's death. When Jacob enters,"standing in the tomb dark hall just inside the door, [he stares] frozen at what looked for all the world like skins hanging from the hooks"(Riggs 84). When investigated, these inanimate "skins" are actually a buildup of rot and moss on the walls (Riggs 84). The description of such an abandoned and unsettling environment eerily reinforces the fact that Jacob is again isolated.
Imagery is an integral piece of Gothic literature, and is also found in the works of modern writer Riggs.

In Miss Peregrine's, the dilapidated house is described as he says, "the steps groaned as if woken from a long sleep" (Riggs 85). This figuratively states that no one has been in the house for a very long time, supporting the theme of isolation in the book. It is effective because in personifying the house, Riggs shows the reader another example of isolation through Jacob’s prolonged aloneness. In Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Mask of The Red Death”, the quote, “But in the western or black chamber the effect of the fire-light ...was ghastly in the extreme, and produced so wild a look upon the countenances of those who entered, that there were few of the company bold enough to set foot within its precincts at all” is used to display isolation. This is because the description of the fire light is discussed in a way to represent fear. In turn, this fear represents isolation because the premise of the story revolves around the isolation of the elite townspeople in closed quarters - separating them from the rest of the world both emotionally and

physically.
Ultimately, isolation is effectively displayed through the use of literary elements such as environment, sinister wording, and imagery within writings of the gothic-romantic movement, specifically:"A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner,“The Oval Portrait” by Edgar Allan Poe, “The Mask of The Red Death” again by Edgar Allen Poe. The novel Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children By Ransom Riggs illustrates the theme of isolation, this is similar to the stories written by the authors of the era.