Myths and heroes documents bac

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Indeed, the monster of Frankestein is ugly and scary because of the Creature's description « His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscle and arteries beneath ; his hair was of lustrous black, and flowing ; his teeth of pearly whiteness ; but there luxuriances only of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips. ». → vous pourriez parler du point de vue, nous n’avons que celui du Docteur F. The poor creature is left alone and must feel lost, abundended « His jaws opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds while a grin wrinkled his cheeks ».

In Gothic novels, architecture plays an essential part. The places where the events take place are not simple settings. They become actors of the story. We can find places such as castles, abbeys, monasteries or other ruins. They are living characters, and play on the integrity and mental health of the human characters. They reflect the characters’ emotions and state of mind.

In Frankenstein, after that the doctor gave life to his creature he ran in the courtyard « I took refuge in the countyard belonging to the house wich I inhabited ». We could think that the doctor lives in a big and isolated house.

In Horace Walpole's story, we find more elements allowing us to assert this point.

Practically, every typical places are named « The castle », « Cathedral », « convent ». The castle seems to be a person by the atmosphere.

Secondly, the atmosphere is also particular. There are a lot of supernatural interventions that are real, imaginary or feigned. It puts our reason to the test, borders between reality and phantasm become blurred as it is in the case of madness. In the «Castle of Otranto » the ghotic atmosphere advise us in our reading (le verbe est inapproprié. Et pourquoi faites-vous intervenir le lecteur ici?) for example « […] were re- echoed through that long labyrinth of darkness », « total darkness ». There are supernatural elements « spectre/ ghost », «invisible hand ».

II) A critique of society’s mores and human nature (et des Arabes d’après Amal)

Society :

Lust, luxury : Manfred is an incarnation of the lack of values of the nobility of the edge. Isabella is the victim, the brave and pure damsel facing the darkest side of the Elite.

Dorian Grey : He is a monster inside but he is charming, full of charism, AND NOBLE.

Criticism of sin and the way of rich people treats the less fortunate because they can do it. Dorian the little coquinou kills people, but don’t feel or regret anything : only his portrait reflects his soul, and how much it is damaged.

Human Nature :

Scientists vs Gode (Oh. My. GOOOOOOOOOOODe)(c’était un extrait de “Amal Bent vs Cthulhu et ses tentacules démoniaques)

Frankenstein : a man tries to create life by himself.

SO : pride, hubris, desire of being powerful, beyond humans and nature laws

The same about Dr Jekyll : he tries to control, to KNOW : he is punished, because there are things that man can’t and shouldn’t understand.

To conclude, we can say that to have a well established universe and a recognizable atmosphere, the Gothic also contains a critical part, to society and the human nature generally.