Compare and contrast three nineteenth century short stories commentating upon the author's use of gothic conventions of horror and the supernatural.

Authors Avatar

Compare and contrast three nineteenth century short stories commentating upon the author’s use of gothic conventions of horror and the supernatural.

The first gothic short story was written by Horace Walpole in 1765. The first gothic short story was called “the caste log Otranto”; from this the whole gothic short story tradition began when readers found this novel to be electrifying, original, thrilling and suspenseful. Gothic short stories are based on the supernatural, and its medieval trappings, all of which have become the stereotypical of the gothic short stories.

        The word “Goth” originally came from the Germanic tribe. The Romans regarded them as barbaric and uncultured. Gothic was later applied to the style of medieval architecture. Then the term later appeared tot the late 18/19th century style of literature which had a fascination with death and the supernatural.

        Many gothic short stories have a villain in them for example “the castle of Otranto” has a villain called Manfred. Other short stories have a villain that is a ghost like the three short stories I am going to compare. In all these three short stories they are linked through the appearance of a ghost. These stories that I am going comparing are called: “An Arrest”, “Napoleon and the Spectre” and “Signal Man”.

        The story “An Arrest” was written by Ambrose Bierce. Where a man called Orrin Brower is in a country jail awaiting his trial.

        Orrin Brower knocks out his jailer with an iron bar and robbing him of his keys he takes off into the nigh, where he enters the local forest “wilder than it is now” this is emphasised.

Join now!

        The sun has now set now and it had grown dark, “with neither moon nor stars visible”. Brower heads off into the overgrown forest, where he walks around trying to get as far as possible from the jail, he realises that he could be going round in circles. Even though Brower knows a herd of people will be soon on his tracks like bloodhounds sniffing their way to him. Brower thinks all this is worth it even for an hour’s freedom.

        Finally Brower transpired from the forest and appears on an old road. Looking in front of him he ...

This is a preview of the whole essay