The literary genre called Gothic romance novels started gaining importance in the eighteenth century. Gothic fiction, with their larger than life heroes and circumstances, had many takers and writers like, Mrs. Anne Radcliffe and Sir Walter Scott who influenced many writers of her generation. Their work was gently parodied by Jane Austen in many of her novels, most notably in Northanger Abbey. United Kingdom has given the world the first Gothic fiction. Horace Walpole, the novelist who penned The Castle of Otranto in 1764, started a new genre of fiction writing. In this genre, frightening situations found the pride of the place, like in Mrs. Radcliffe’s, Romance of the Forest and The Mysteries of Udolpho. In the families depicted in gothic romantic novels, fearful curses in the family which will ruin the happiness of the new bride or groom, dark ill lit castles and all round decay remain a constant. Yet surprisingly, Gothic novels were gulped down tamely, mostly by women readers.
Gothic romantic novels had emotional turbulence of the characters on the threshold of new life, unable to cope up with their maligned past.
Dark alleys, dark mysterious figures flitting to and fro, ruined castles, abandoned monasteries, faithful silent servants – oh! Gothic novels were sure to keep one on the edge for ever! In spite of all odds, the lead character fell in love with a hapless maiden, but she would be too scared to meet her beloved, leave alone talk to him.
He would make numerous attempts to meet her in spite of her villainous father or brothers and then elope with her to marry. But would the Gothic novelists leave the poor couple in peace? No! They would be hunted down by the girl’s family and remorselessly guillotined.
Gothic romantic novels celebrated love in rather constrained circumstances. Dark brooding moors and dark passionate men in love with extremely naïve and childlike women makes the mind boggle! But so was it. They people found love and in the process found many admiring readers. To know more interesting facts on these Gothic novels please visit www.mydearvalentine.com
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