Manderly as an Appropriate Setting for a Gothic Novel

Manderly as an Appropriate Setting for a Gothic Novel

A Gothic novel is characterized by picturesque settings, an atmosphere

of mystery and terror, and element of violence and the supernatural.

In Chapter 7, Manderly is being described and introduced.

On page 73, "A thing of grace and beauty, exquisite and faultless,

lovelier even than I had ever dreamed, built in its hollow of smooth

grassland and mossy lawns", Manderly is said to be very beautiful,

like a postcard image on the surface. There are symmetrical walls and

terraces overlooking lawns that slope to the sea. Also, there are

swallows, bluebells, azaleas, red rhododendrons, etc., which shows the

beauty of Manderly. At the first glance, it seems not an appropriate

setting for a thriller.

Yet, with more understanding, one can see that Manderly is mysterious

and intrigue on an estate renowned for beauty and grace.

The setting (as seen in chapter 1) includes an unoccupied house with a

locked gate. Around it are trees with tangled, unpruned branches,

menacing trees, gnarled roots, and ugly flowers without blooms. There

is also the winding drive, "twisting and turning" like a serpent, and

even an "enchanted ribbon" (p.72).

(p.1) "Nature had come into her own again and, little by little, in

her stealthy, insidious way had encroached upon the drive with long,

tenacious fingers." The nature around creates sense of supernatural

and uneasiness. In chapter 7 (p.71-72), there are low-hanging branches

which intermingle with one another, thickly entwined green leaves,

great beeches, and shoc...

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... there musty smell, nor old-well-worn

chairs. Every particular furniture are chosen with great care, so that

"every chair, each vase, each infinitesimal thing should be in harmony

with one another". Thus, there is no intermingling of style or

confusing of period. There are flowers for decorations. Everything is

in perfection and of an exquisite taste. It is of a woman's room,

"graceful, fragile". And it is vividly alive, not like the library as

if it is untouched for a long period of time, and the room is lovely

and rich in colour and not of a dark panelling. In addition, the room

is rather "business-like and purposeful" that it is a place for Mrs.

de Winter to write. All these made Mrs. de Winter feels comfortable.

The above shows contrasts in the library and the morning-room, which

Mrs. de Winter feels comfortable.