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The gothic novel combines elements of terror and romance, and the supernatural. English novelist Fanny Burney wrote at the time of the French Revolution that, "There is nothing in old history that I shall any longer think fabulous; the destruction of the most wonderful empires on record has nothing more wonderful, nor of more sounding improbability, than the demolition of this great nation, which rises up against itself for its own ruin-perhaps annihilation." A year later in 1790, English statesman Edmund Burke wrote that the French Revolution was, "the most astonishing that has hitherto happened to the world." The gothic novel was therefore a way for English writers to come to terms with what they considered to be wonderful and astounding events, perceiving what happened to their neighbors in France and with the consequences upon their own society.[2] Creating elements of terror and fantasy gave expression to their anxieties of what was to come, and gave voice to their incredulousness at the events taking place in France. Because of the French Revolution and France's proximity to England, English writers during that period were concerned with the concept of violent and inclusive change in the human condition. The gothic novel contains modes of nightmarish terror, violence, and sexual rapacity. These modes coincided with the mood and modes of violence brought forth during the French Revolution.[3]
The upper echelon of English society mostly perceived the French Revolution as threatening to the status quo and stability of their accustomed lifestyle, and as a danger to their personal safety and social position within the hierarchy. It has been suggested that the gothic novel with its themes of terror and violence gave English writers a safe expression of their anxieties about disruption and chaos. They also worked to uphold the political normalcy and traditional morals of the time. Examples of this can be seen in Anne Radcliffe's female characters being submissive and incapable of making their own decisions, upholding traditional values of a patriarchal society. |
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发表于 2013-4-2 21:30:30
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