Gothic doorway |
Michel Foucault, during the second
half of the 18th Century noted that the time was strangely
haunted by a fear of the unknown, especially unknown spaces and the terrifying
reflection of this in the minds of man. This fear stemmed from the prevention
of visibility; significantly sight but also extending further to include the
pursuit of knowledge and reason. He further suggests that the
Enlightenment - or Age of Reason - sought to destroy these unknown spaces and
replace with absolute knowledge and reason.
Location
Our Lady of Assumption Convent, 1933
|
Location within the Gothic is
paramount for the creation of an unnatural and eerie atmosphere. The
stereotypical gothic setting is usually centred around a large castle or
mansion placed in a remote location. Ann Radcliffe’s The Italian deploys the convent itself as a place of liminality as
Ellena banishes herself there to regain clarity and decide where to proceed.
This location is known for being the place of serenity and peace. In this
instance however it can be seen to become the space of the unwanted, those
who are lost without vision or clarity. Vivaldi’s family are still opposed to
their nuptials therefore she is without anyone to vouch for her status in
society or her virtue, therefore her state of liminality may never end.
Borderlines
Horace Walpole, noted for the
initial gothic text The Castle of Otranto, can be seen as first
gothic writer, employing typical gothic concepts: supernatural, pathetic
fallacy and transgression. Throughout this text there are significant examples
of the liminal - some obvious and others which are obscure. The most literal
representation, used in almost every gothic text, is the significance of doors
and the doorway. It embodies the exact definition of the liminal as the
physical boundary line between the past and the future, the comfortable
and the unknown and security and the potential for evil. The doorway is the
realm of the other, separating these different spheres but also acting as a
point of contact between them.
Despite this very clear divide,
doors are deceptive and ambiguous and this can be seen in the form of locked
doors. A locked door has the power to induce as much fear as any other gothic
feature; forcing entrapment isolating the victim and leaving them powerless
against the forces raging beyond the door. In Walpole’s Otranto,
Matilda escapes from Manfred’s control and releases Theodore from the cell in
which he was placed by Manfred himself. In this case a doorway can be seen as
an act of transgression, instigating a turning point in the plot leading
towards the acquisition of truth and the overthrowing of the menacing
character. The opening of the cell is vital for the resolution of the plot as
Theodore is the rightful heir to the Castle and without his release, Manfred
could never be overthrown. Walpole explores the inherent falsity of authentic
and undisputed origins through his representation of the untrustworthy
character of Manfred.
Secret doors also have an
interesting and equally liberating quality attached to them. There is an
excitement surrounding their unknown presence but also by crossing the physical
boundary the character is able to remove themselves from the evil within and
escape. Isabella is a prime example of this as she uses a secret passage
way, 'shut the trap door after you...she descended the steps
precipitately,' (p.29) to leave castle and escape from her forced marriage
to Manfred.
Character
As well as viewing doors as
representations of liminality, it is possible to see a complete character as an
embodiment of what is means to be liminal. Radcliffe’s The Italian sees
the character of Ellena become stuck in a perpetual state of liminality,
existing without confirmation. On the death of Aunt Signora Bianchi, she finds
herself an orphan in 18th century Italy without a husband or
power over her own person. This text is strategically placed in the 1750’s when
the Marriage Act had just been enacted stating that marriage had to be made
legal with a formal ceremony. If Ellena had married Vivaldi before her Aunts
death, whilst technically becoming his ‘property’, she would have been entitled
to his protection and security.
The Monster - Shelley's Frankenstein |
The theories of Giles Guattari and Felix
Deleuze can be applied here as their discussion on what it means to be human is
explored through the example of a ‘monster’. They note that it is only through
recognising something as different that you can then arbitrarily attach
characteristics of terror to create a monster. Victor’s creation is formed out
of dead bodies and moulded into human form, if we apply this idea, it can be
suggested that Victor’s reaction is the sole reasoning for the perception of
the Monster throughout the novel. How is it possible that a character that is
made entirely of human components is ‘monstrous’ unless we apply those
attributes ourselves?
Scene from The Castle of Otranto |
Bibliography
Radcliffe, Ann, The Italian, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008)
Shelly, Mary, and Johanna M Smith, Frankenstein,2nd edn, (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2000)
Walpole, Horace, The Castle of Otranto (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014)
Radcliffe, Ann, The Italian, (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008)
Shelly, Mary, and Johanna M Smith, Frankenstein,2nd edn, (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2000)
Walpole, Horace, The Castle of Otranto (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014)