The signalman’s house, where much of the story takes place is set below a cliff edge, the cutting of which is ‘unusually precipitous and deep. This again gives the impression that the house is cut-off and separated from communication and civilization. The narrator describes the signalman’s ‘post’ as ‘solitary and dismal’. It features a ‘gloomy red light’ under ‘gloomy entrance to the tunnel’. This is not a promising setting and it prepares us for the events, which are about to unfold. After the Signalman tells the narrator what he witnessed at the red waiting light ‘A disagreeable shudder crept ‘ over him. This gives the story a cold and frightening atmosphere and it prepares the reader for the terrifying and remarkable incidents, which are about to unfold.
Later, the Narrator says that ‘next evening was a lovely evening’ and how he ‘walked out early to enjoy it’ This is a very unusual description for a mystery story and it lulls the reader into a false sense of security, as the narrator is now overcome with ‘nameless horror’ at the sight of the men ‘rehearsing the gesture’ that the signalman had described to him.
Both these stories feature desolate cut-off places and so the main character, the victim is left isolated and stands helpless. This is essential to the plot of the story and there is no one to help them when the inevitable occurs.
Atmosphere plays a very important role in the play as it sets the scene for the play and the tone of the events that are about to happen.
The ‘shrill’ crow of the cockerel tells Malcomson that morning is near and it is time to go to sleep, this builds up a dangerous atmosphere because Malcomson had a ‘sound’ sleep regardless of the ‘Shrill’ cockerel and the noisy rats.
Malcomsons, ‘presence’ ‘disturbed’ the rats and this suggests an atmosphere of panic as the rats are acting stranger than normal. The Rats eyes were ‘getting bolder by degrees’ and they ‘ shone like tiny lamps’, which builds up the atmosphere of how dangerous the rats can be especially ‘as the firelight rose and fell’. In the house, ‘The silence was as of the grave’’ This is different as it sets a calm atmosphere compared to rats ‘scampering about the house’, but never the less it build up fear. When Malcomson is being confronted by the Judge, there was a singing in his hears and ‘without, he could hear the roar and howl of the tempest’ this creates a dangerous and frightening atmosphere and it shows that nature is in harmony with what is happening.
Both these characters are well educated -, Malcomson was student studying for his exams reading ‘Eliptic Function’ and ‘Harmonical Progressions, Permutations and Combinations’ and the Signalman, although had ‘misused oppurtuities ‘ was studying ‘Natural Philosophy’, and is essentially good. Malcomson and his parallel character The signalman, are built up so well and so that when their tragic death occours, the reader is shocked, but not surprised of the supernatural force beyond their control.
In the ‘Judges House’ suspense is gradually built up from the beginning as the reader can sense that something tragic will eventually happen to Malcomson. As Malcomson got ‘more and more immersed’ in his work’, ‘all at once he stopped’ as he was ‘over come by a sudden sense of silence’ this builds up suspense because it is a strange, unusual description .As now there was not ‘the faintest gnaw, scratch or squeak’. Malcomson looked ’instinctively’ at the chair and a ‘ very odd sensation filled through him’. Bram stoker ends the paragraph at this point in the story and so it builds up the suspense and tension in the reader as they want to know what will happen, Stoker goes on to explain that on the chair sat an ‘enormous rat’ with ‘baleful eyes’. ‘Baleful eyes’, is repeated frequently throughout the story and it add to the tension and suspense.
Later, Malcomson lifts the rope of the alarm bell to steady the lamp. As he is doing this he cannot ‘help noticing how pliable it is’ and remarks ‘you could hang a man with it’. This adds to suspense as it is an unusual remark and as we later find out that is what kills Malcomson.
When Dr. Thornhill comes to check on Malcomson he says ‘Do not be alarmed if Benchurch gets a surprise before morning’. This builds up suspense in the story as the reader is keen to find out what Dr. Thornhill means and whether what has been said about the rope being used o hang the ‘victims of the judges judicial rancour’ is true.
That night, Malcomson’s mind begins to wonder. ‘The actual circumstances around him, the calls on his physical attention and his nervous susceptibility were nothing to be denied. Malcomson starts to wonder about the purpose of the rope and he starts to ‘take a deadly interest in it’, this builds up suspense, as we know that the inevitable will happen.
When Malcomson realizes that the Judge has disappeared form the picture and sees him sitting there on ‘the great high backed, carved oak chair’ wearing ‘scarlet and ermine robes’, he felt the blood running from hime, ‘as one does in moments of prolonged suspense’. The Judge deliberately rose, picked up the rope and fashioned it into a noose. He drew the rope close to Malcomson, who felt the ‘icy fingers of the judge touch his neck. ‘The noose tightened – tightened’. This part builds up suspense dramatically and the hyphen emphasizes the point and confirms that the inevitable has happened. Malcomson is dead.
Suspense is built up right form the start in ‘The Signalman’ but unlike “the Judges house’ it is built up gradually. The signalman, ‘intently watchful’ of the narrator ‘silently pointed to the red light. Suspense is starting to build up here as there is something strange about the way the signalman reacts to the red light as he replied ‘without sound’.
As the Signalman is talking, the narrator recalls how twice, ‘he broke of with a fallen colour, turned his head to the bell’ and opened the door to see the red light. This almost confirms that there is something unusual about the light and there is suspense, as we do not know what it is.
This Signalman says to the narrator ‘I am troubled sir, I am troubled’. This adds suspense to the story, as we want to know why he is troubled and this leads us to feel suspense, as we do not know what to expect next.
The narrator describes to the Signalman the figure he as seen at the red light ‘must be a deception of his sense of sight’ and that ‘figures originating in disease of delicate nerves which minister the eyes’ trouble patients. The narrator says that some people hear ‘an imaginary cry’ which is ‘only the wind in this unnatural valley’. The Narrator, who is a Dr. Has a rational explanation for the Signalman’s vision and he refuses to believe that there is a supernatural force acting by the red railway light. As he ‘rejoined, that this was a remarkable coincidence’. This, is perhaps why the Victorians were intrigued by the supernatural, as no one could explain it.
After the Narrator sees the men waving he has ‘an irresistible sense that something was wrong’. We later find out that the Signalman was ‘cut down by an engine’. An innocent man has become the victim of a supernatural force.
I feel that the two stories I have chosen are examples of successful mystery stories as they blend all the elements together in a way that manages to engage the reader. For example Bram Stoker and Charles Dickens make their characters innocent and likeable, so the reader is genuinely shocked when the inevitable happens.
Although these stories were written in the 19th Century, audiences now can enjoy them and they will live through the ages.
