Rachel, the Possessed by Katheryn Kimbrough

“The world of the gothic novel offers vicarious danger and romantic fantasy of a type that is particularly appealing to female readers. Radcliffe, Gothic Novels of the Twentieth Century The horror story, the ghost story, the tales of the occult, are all part of the Gothic tradition and are all viable forms in the 20th century.” Using the eighteenth-century prototype, one must see that Gothic literature is a much broader field that simplly the “damsel-in-distress” tale, popular and appealing thought that still may be. “What ties all these groups together under the common title “Gothic” is, I believe, their use of several, if not all of the following which I consider the “elements” of a Gothic tale: 1) the supernatural 2) a quest or a wrong to be righted 3) a setting that includes an old dwelling, traditionally a castle 4) a fantasy of weath suddenly acquired, or inheritance 5) mystery, suspense and intrigue 6) a fantasy of romantic love in some form, often including a love-hate, trust-fear ambivalence between men and women 7) romanticism of the past and an historical setting - no longer necessarily medieval, but of a generation past or more and 8) confrontations between the Forces of Good and Evil.Īlthough none of the individual elements are absolutely essential, the closer one comes to having all eight, the “purer” the Gothic.

Love and Danger Classic & Modern Gothic Romance and Romantic Suspense

Rachel, the Possessed by Katheryn Kimbrough