Synoptic Topic (Oral exam): Gothic Topic

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Key Issue Eight: Melodrama and Realism in Gothic Writing (Milla and Madeleine)

Melodrama and realism in Gothic writing Melodrama and Realism are two main concepts that Gothic authors used and explored to bring the readers into the atmosphere they created.  Melodrama The Melodrama movement was born in France, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as part of the Romantic literary period. The romantics wanted to express their emotions through art, inspired by imagination, individuality, and nature.  The word Melodrama is made from two different Greek words: Melos meaning music and drama meaning action.  A melodrama is the foundation of every American movie of our time, as it contains a story with conflict coupled with music .  This dramatic form also shows a battle between Good and Evil in three major plot elements:  1. provocation, whatever provokes the villain to act devilishly to the hero;  2.pangs, the pains that the hero suffers through because of the villain’s evil;  3. and the penalty, the denouement, the last part of the...
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Key Issue Four: the monster and the monstrous in Gothic Writing (Achille / Sorcadh / Augustin)

Monster and monstrous The word ‘ monster ’ means ugliness, irrationality and unnatural events. It is the opposite of neo-classical values of harmony and unified composition.  During the eighteen th century, the world became better known through scientific studies and experimentations, thus monsters disappeared from studies of nature and medicine step by step. Monster and monstrous in Gothic literature However, at the same time, they were becoming popular in the Gothic genre, which was starting at that time. This genre portrayed monsters and monstrous characters, and focussed on their deformity and irregularity. It involved works that crossed the boundaries of reason and morality , presenting excessive and viciously improper scenes and characters. Gothic literature needed negative and socially unacceptable features: the use of monsters and the use of the notion of monstrosity permitted Gothic authors to darken the atmosphere of their novels, while bringing fantasy. T...
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Key Issue Five: Fear, terror, and Horror in Gothic Writing ( Kelvin, Sana, Chiara )

  Chiara, Kelvin and Sana. Fear, terror and horror in Gothic writing     Fear, terror, and horror are the main goals of Gothic work : The atmosphere: dark, unknown, presence of creatures = generates fear  The location setting: unclear, uncomfortable Explores idea of being unsafe: confronted to a being defenseless Afraid of death and what comes after  Did you know that:  Fear mostly comes from our imagination, from that little voice in our head. In fact, you aren’t afraid of being alone in the dark, you are afraid of not being alone.Gothic horror is the battle between humanity and unnatural forces of evil within an oppressive, inescapable, and bleak landscape. Key quotes :   “ Gothic has always been more about fear of the supernatural than the supernatural itself”  ~by Radcliffe “We make up horrors to help us cope with the real ones.”  ~by Stephen King “Courage has gone out of our race … The terror of society, which is the basi...
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