Roles Of Women In Gothic Literature

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Recommended: Importance of gothic themes in literature

One of the corner stones in gothic literature is the characterization of female characters as weak and submissive. This notion can be tracked all the way back to 1764, when Horace Walpole wrote what many assume to be the first gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto. When the sickly Conrad dies, his sister Matilda expresses her apprehension to her attendant Bianca over the increased scorn of Manfred. “No, Bianca; his heart was ever the stranger to me – but he is my father, and I must not complain,” (Pg. 37). Matilda understands what her role in the household is and accepts it, despite of Manfred’s increased scorn. Matilda, as well as the other female characters, exhibits no negative or evil traits or thoughts yet are treated with nothing but contempt. They are submissive for no real reason beside from that was how men expected women to be in the time of the novel. The purpose of this essay is to show that if the reader does not understand the feature of the …show more content…

Since ancient times, the human heart has symbolized love and passion, but the heart had many roles that it fulfilled. It was said that the heart contained a person's thoughts, feelings, or memories. So, in essence, the heart still has the meaning that it holds today as the emotional center, but it also houses the reasoning of the mind, and the spirit of the soul. The quote explains that Matilda doesn’t deserve to be confined to the restrictions of the child-like role which her father has cast her. The narrator explains Matilda’s thought processes, demonstrating her empathy and concern for others on multiple occasions. If Manfred’s heart went cold with the thought of Matilda, it means that he harbors some deep resentment over her, a resentment that runs deeper than just feelings. It is Matilda’s acceptance of those feelings that the reader views as a weakness. Matilda fails to understand that all she is to Manfred is a bargaining chip to be used to get another

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