In Gothic literature, the presentation of place has an important significance to the plot and the development of characters. This is a key tool to show the inhospitable landscapes that reflect a 'fallen world' (Ann B. Tracy). The landscapes have the power to reflect or emphasise aspects of characters which would not have as much impact on the reader if they were merely described a sole traits. It is the symbolism which intrigues the reader and makes the story more captivating. For example, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange in Bronte's Victorian Gothic novel are representative of the doubling-a key Gothic element. Both landscapes are contrasts of each other, as are the characters. Whilst the Heights is an 'atmospheric tumult' that is 'exposed' to the moors 'stormy weather', the Grange is a 'beautiful...splendid place' that is sheltered in the valley. It is the use of Gothic opposition that places the reader in an intense world. Similarly, the Marquis' castle in The Bloody Chamber is a fairyland of 'solitude' which is shrouded in mystery, quite like the Marquis himself. The isolation from the stir of society places it in the Gothic realm as the marginalised becomes a normal transgression. It is the mirroring of the character's and the places they inhabit which make up the dark elements of the Gothic. Wittenburg, the setting Faustus is placed holds religious reference in which his original readership would have been aware of- as Wittenburg is the birth place of Protestantism. Religion is central to the plot as religion and science are debated(another key Gothic theme). Therefore the use of characters alone would make the plots significantly less interesting.
Wittenburg (in Germany), the central setting to the Gothic Elizabethan play Dr Faustus, has key religious importance as it is the birth place of Protestantism. England, in the 16th Century, was experiencing religious conflict between the Catholics and the Protestants. John Calvin, born in Wittenburg created the Protestantism Reformation due to the belief of corruption within the Catholic faith (such as priest's talking indulgences to 'reduce' someones time in purgatory) and placed 95 theses on the church door, this lead to the radical opposition of conducts in worshipping the same God. Christopher Marlowe, the playwright, purposely placed Dr Faustus in the birth place which created the conflict between religions, as Faustus uses both of the religious ideas to excuse his sin of selling his soul to the devil. This transgression of religious boundaries is forewarned in the Prologue by the chorus-'waxen wings did mount'- who use the mythical story of Icarus to show Faustus tried to surpass the humanities limits. Marlowe creates a satire of the religious conflict which can be seen in scenes such as Act 3 Scene 1 where Marlowe employs the use of melodrama as Faustus 'haunts' the Pope, essential mocking the Catholic faith as the Pope is portrayed as a feeble and docile man who is corrupt by selling indulgences. Wittenburg has further significance as it is also the place Dr Johann Faust lived. Johann Faust is an old German legend which Dr Faustus is based upon. Johann Faust supposedly sold his soul to the devil to gain dark necromantic powers, similar to Faustus who too sold his soul to the devil to gain powers of 'necromancy'.
Places contribute significantly to Wuthering Heights as they add the gothic element of mirroring. The novel is set in the English Yorkshire moors, Which are highlighted as a wild and extreme environment which provoke the extremes of emotion in humanity such as passion and violence, as it is 'completely removed' from the civilised 'stir of society'. The story is set between the two houses Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. The Heights is portrayed as an uncultivated land with its 'stunted firs' and 'gaunt thorns' which stimulate a grotesque and gothic environment, highlighting the hardships of life there. The house is made for practicality as the windows are narrow and set deep inside the stone of the house, and the house orientates around the centre of the house-the harth- as it is the only source of heat. The Heights additionally seems to encourage violence in the characters, the dogs are voitile and can only be controlled through violence and commands, and even Lockwood becomes agressive with the ghost of Cathy 1 (after just a night in the house) when he rubs her wrist across the cut glass in Chapter 3- the house seems to influence an uncivilised way of life. This is key to the plot as Heathcliff symbolises the life of the Heights- transgressive of moral boundaries, passionate and violent. Whereas the Grange however is a contrast and represents the civility of society, the house is decorated with 'carpeted crimson', has 'gold' bordered on the ceiling with a 'shower of glass-drops hanging in silver chains in the centre', displaying their materialistic higher social class. The Grange is set in a cultrivated land in the valleys with 'hedges' and 'flower beds' showing the chance of flourishing and education in an extreme landscape. Edgar represents the Grange as he embodies the calm civility of the upper class. As Cathy 1 belongs to both houses she embodies both sides of the houses, her passionate love for Heathcliff and her upper class roots with Edgar, this symbolises the Gothic element of the divided self, as Cathy is torn between both men, beliving she can love Heathcliff without being degraded by his social status due to her marriage with Edgar.
Angela Carter's 'The Bloody Chamber' uses setting to create a place of beauty and transgression which alienates the characters. The narrator describes the castle of the Marquis as 'a lovely sad, sea-siren place', it is a castle full of mystery and surrounded by the wild sea, showing its exposure to the elements-just like in Wuthering Heights. the phrase 'sea-siren' shows the castle has a dangerous deathly allure, identical to the Marquis who has the 'opulant male scent of spice and leather' which is one of his features which draws the narrator into his trap. However the castle later serves as a form of imprisonment which entraps the narrator with the Gothic stereotype of a predatory male. The plot of a young virgin being entrapped within a isolated place and being chased by the predatory male is a common gothic theme which first appeared in 'The Castle of Ortranto' when Isabella was chased in the underground labyrinth by Manfred. Carter uses the castle to represent the will of the sadistic male as in 1979 Carter was writing at a time when the objectification of the 'male gaze' was a popular issue in the women's rights movements- thus why the Marquis uses the 'assessing eye of a conniseur' to objectifiy the narrator. However Carter shows that women too are apart of this objectification as the narrator feels for the first time a 'sense of corruption' within herself. This is further symbolised in 'the bloody chamber' a 'slaughterhouse' were the Marquis previous wives are ornamented in their gruesome deaths-such as the 'iron maiden' who had been killed by '100 spikes' or the wise who was 'embalmed' on a bed of satin- highlighting the male fantasy. Some feminists have previously commented that Carter uses the bloody chamber to show the cycle of women subservience to men and how this has ultimately lead to their own fate- a lack of rights even in death.
In conclusion, all three texts use gothic setting to compliment and emphasise the characters traits which work together to create a dark and transgressive atmosphere. Places often highlight character personality or motive which may not be reflected by the character themselves therefore useful in expanding the key gothic elements.
Got a B/A mark.
ReplyDelete