Caitlin Sheets

Ms. Walther

English 12 B

2-28-20

Fear in Gothic Romanticism

The wind howls and moans outside the stone castle walls as the rain comes down harshly

from the heavens. Lightning strikes down from the pitch black sky, illuminating the forest just

below the castle. Just as the flash vanishes, there is a quick sight of a large silhouette slumped in

the dense woods. This is an example of the use of fear, which is mostly used in Gothic Romantic

novels and stories. From the vivid imagery to the suspenseful ending, this is what creates a sense

of fear while reading. In the novels The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe and

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, both authors express the element of fear in their works, and use

setting, characters, and figurative language to establish said topic.

Both Shelley and Radcliffe use the element of fear in the settings of their stories by using

vivid detail and medieval architecture. For instance, Shelley always creates a sense of darkness

in the setting before Victor meets the creature. “I looked on the valley beneath; vast mists were

rising from the rivers which ran through it and curling in thick wreaths around the opposite

mountains, whose summits were hid in the uniform clouds, while rain poured from the dark sky

and added to the melancholy impression I received from the objects around me.” (Shelley

chp.10). While Radcliffe creates fear using the melancholy feeling of the castle, which is placed

in the middle of a dense forest. “The sentiment was not diminished, when she entered an

extensive gothic hall, obscured by the gloom of evening, which a light, glimmering at a distance

through a long perspective of arches, only rendered more striking.” (Radcliffe ch. 5). Both
authors depict suspense and fear with describing a dark setting, both settings also happen to be in

dark woods.

Shelley uses her characters to incorporate fear into her novel, showing a pattern of

horrific themes and dark tone. Shelley’s character, who is called the creature, is the outcome of a

scientific experiment by Victor Frankenstein. The creature is described as being so hideous and

wretched, the people in the towns and villages attack him. The creature was brought back to life

by Frankenstein, and is essentially a walking corpse that was sewn back together. “His yellow

skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black,

and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid

contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in

which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips.” (Shelley chp. 5). The

creature’s terrifying looks and his murderous rampage add to the creation of fear, since the

creature is a monster. In fact, the creature is so horrific that even Frankenstein feels ashamed for

giving it life.

Radcliffe creates a great sense of fear in her novel with the use of figurative language,

mostly imagery and personification. Radcliffe describes the desolate castle of Udolpho and the

previous owner of the castle, who is now a ghost that wanders the grounds at night. Radcliffe

includes personification when the character Annette tells the tale of the ghost. “The wind blew

cold, and strewed the leaves about, and whistled dismally among those great old chestnut

trees…” (Radcliffe chp. 5). The wind cannot whistle, but using this figurative language creates

immense fear while reading the horrific ghost story. Radcliffe uses imagery to describe the fear

that the sight of the castle gives Emily, who is filled with melancholy and gloom after arriving at

Udolpho. “...rock, and, soon after, reached the castle gates, where the deep tone of the portal bell,
which was struck upon to give notice of their arrival, increased the fearful emotions that had

assailed Emily.” (Radcliffe ch. 5).

In conclusion, both Mary Shelley and Ann Radcliffe express the element of fear in their

works, and use setting, characters, and figurative language to establish said topic. Both authors

use vivid detail, horrific themes, and personification to further introduce the topic of fear in both

novels. Both Shelley and Radcliffe created fear in their works, the fear was built up with

suspense and dark tones. The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe and Frankenstein by Mary

Shelley are both excellent gothic romantic novels.

Works Cited:

Shelley, Mary. “Frankenstein EBook.” Planet EBooks, www.planetebook.com/free-

ebooks/frankenstein.pdf.
Radcliffe, Ann. “The Mysteries of Udolpho EBook.” Gutenberg,

www.gutenberg.org/files/3268/3268-h/3268-h.htm.