The Mysteries Of Udolpho, Frankenstein, And The Rime Of...

Ghostly evocations of terror, decrepit castles and manors, villainous tyrants bent on destruction...and witty dialogue — laced with irony and satire — speaking of matchmaking, fall fashions and the propriety of social actions? Pre-dash, the elements of Gothic fiction permeate and resonate throughout the Romantic era and are included in analysis of many such fiction and prose. The Mysteries of Udolpho, Frankenstein, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, etc. display said aspects and can be considered works of true Gothic horror. Emily St. Aubert (from Udolpho) acts in the Gothic fashion when, examining the secret chambers of the deceased Marchioness, she witnesses the supernatural apparition rising above the resting place and subsequently fleeing in terror. Such is not said when Elizabeth Bennet refuses the wedding proposal from Fitzwilliam Darcy. To most, Pride and Prejudice is a work of romance and social satire; an apex in wit and dialogue. There are no spectres at Pemberley nor is there an insatiable tyrant or haunted castle at Derbyshire. However, there is a sense of fear amongst many of the characters. The houses are often large and hiding a painful secret. And love, at least between a few, transcends the boundary into the supernatural; or at least has elements thereof. Contrary to its popular, and overly common, definition and perception, I will argue that Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (hereon referred to as PP) is an established piece of Gothic fiction, as it