Key Issue Seven: Power and menace in Gothic writing (Alexis / Liam / Malo)

Key Issue Seven: Power and menace in Gothic writing (Alexis / Liam / Malo)

Closely linked together, power and menace are both fundamental for Gothic Literature. Even though they are not the first criteria someone would think about after watching a Gothic movie or reading Gothic literature, power and menace are nearly always presented in Gothic art.

I. Power

Looking at power portrayed through Gothic writing, we can already declare that power can come in different forms: fear, torture (violence), psycological aspects (mental), etc. 

Power is dependent on a constraint, someone or something that needs to feel or be submissive to this powerful character. In Gothic writing, we can see this through vulnerable characters being driven by fear, for example Lucy Westerna in Dracula. 

In Gothic literature, villains (humans or creatures) usually always hold the power, and they use this power over the other characters through violence and fear, for example, Dracula, or Frankenstein. 

So, we can state with this information that Gothic villains almost always hold power, and use it in an abusive way, and so reduce the power of the other characters. In other words, abusive power from the Gothic villains dominate the protagonists and a hero is going to overcome this power with the greatest effort and courage possible. 

Linking this concept with the 20th century mindset, dictators and wars who hold power can be related to the Gothic villains. 

Interestingly, in the sake of the Gothic monsters and creatures, time is running out for them: these Gothic villains drive their characters by fear, which in future generations, will not frighten them any more. The Gothic atmosphere will never stop, and the influence through these movies and books will stay, but horror and gothic will change and the future will not be scared of the same things we are scared of today.

 II. Menace

Moving on to menace in Gothic writing, menace is the threat or danger from a person or creature, or even something non living (like a natural disaster). 

In Gothic literature, we link menace to the Gothic villains, which threaten the heroes, or the good side. Like power, menace could not be anything without someone being afraid, or someone having less power. Power and menace are both dependent on a victim being present. Menace, however, can get boosted from not only the fear of the characters: it can also be influenced by other elements in Gothic literature, like dark and mysterious atmospheres, haunted houses, etc. This can terrorise the good side characters even more and make them even more afraid, which makes it harder to push this villain force away. 

Linking this with the 20th century mindset, menace can be associated with horror movies, the ‘build up’ to a certain scene or a jump scare, when we know something is about to happen but we don’t know when: a tapping on the window, a space, mentally or physical, being taken etc.

 Conclusion

            In short, power and menace are two great aspects of Gothic writing through the implementation of fear in the 'good' characters from the villain, or antagonist. This will make a problem for the protagonists, and will in consequence cause them to fight back and try to stop this power. 

Power and menace are closely linked and both key items for Gothic literature.

 

For further elements on Gothic Literature: 

https://elifnotes.com/main-elements-of-gothic-literature/

 

 III. Relation with The Picture of Dorian Gray

            As said before, menace and power appear in Gothic literature, and so appears in The Picture of Dorian Gray. Menace is embodied in the portrait of Dorian Gray made by Basil Hallward. 

The fear that it triggers to Dorian, is shown through multiple forms: 

- Dorian fears the picture by the changes that it goes through; he sees himself deformed, old, crooked, as an entity of Hell in contrary to the initial state of the painting, when he was pictured perfectly. He feels an alienation between what he pictures himself, what the portrait shows and what the other people see him as. They praise his beauty and youth which he doesn’t lose, because his physical qualities remain : he doesn’t age. In contrast, the picture shows malice and temptation which Dorian will be tempted to act maliciously. 

- This brings the second form of MENACE instigated by the picture: temptation and manipulation. Dorian is to say, forced to kill Basil by the painting which whispers to him.

- To add, since getting the picture, he notices that when he is wounded, his injuries are healed abnormally fast, which surprises him and maybe gave him the impression of being invincible, and so this POWER frees him up and allows him to do do mischiefs.

    Of course, the presence of MENACE, applies as a factor of POWER. However, there are other elements that have a sense of power, for example the book that Lord Henry lends to Dorian in chapter 11, which has a great influence over Mr. Gray as said at the beginning of the chapter. 

Moreover, the same thing can be said about Lord Henry, the person, and his way of speaking and of thought. At a point, Dorian notices himself, that whatever Lord Henry says to him, Dorian will listen and behave as Harry intends him to.

In addition, Dorian is himself in a sense POWERFUL, after killing Basil, he asks his friend, Alan Campbell, to clean the crime scene, and Dorian forces him to do as he pleases with the use of a letter that he threatens to send it to someone. The reader doesn’t learn what is the content of the letter or who would be sent it to, which gives an impression of a mysterious power, because the reader is ignorant about the letter, that compels Alan to clean the attic.

Furthermore, POWER is represented by objects like a revolver, for example when James Vane points at him with his revolver and tries to kill Dorian.

Finally, fate seems to be on the side of Dorian, proved when accidentally James Vane is killed by a gun, while waiting in a bush to ambush Dorian. When Dorian confirms that the corpse is James Vane’s body, he realizes then the POWER that he got from the painting.  

 Closing Comments on Dorian Gray (May 2022)

POWER

• Influence of Lord Henry over Dorian

= “nothing can cure the soul but the senses, just as nothing can cure the senses but the soul”

• Lead Dorian though the novel

 

• Dorian has power over Alan Campbell -> obliges Alan to take part in Basil’s death -> Alan kills himself

 

• The painting = his youth is conserved in the painting, if destroyed he dies of aging -> “He was withered, wrinkled, and loathsome of visage”
• Death has power of Dorian “a wild terror of dying” & Lord Henry “Death is the only thing that ever terrifies me”
• Opium: “A mad craving came over him. He lit a cigarette and then threw it away.”

-SO: Power in The Picture of Dorian Gray is exposed as not only human, for example, death and drugs (opium). Power can also be held within someone, like Dorian and Lord Henry.

MENACE

• Instinct = “The mad passions of a hunted animal stirred within him” “and suddenly an uncontrollable feeling of hatred for Basil Hallward came over”
• James Vane  = “as he rode home, his eyes were fall of tears, for he knew he was safe.”
• James Vane wanting revenge on Dorian= “if he ever does to you any wrong I shall kill him” -> menacing Dorian in his dream = where he saw James Vane “pressed against the window of the conservatory” & “I want a man’s life”
• SO: he menaces Alan Campbell (blackmails him)

 

-Menace comes through many forms like Power in The Picture of Dorian Gray, like Dorian’s killer instincts, which lead to murder, and James Vane scaring Dorian when he is hunting him down.

Ouverture: La Bête Humaine de Zola  

= Jacques has killer instincts concerning women.