gothic_novel哥特式小说(英文).new.ppt

Gothic novel as one branch of the English literature and the father of horror movies origins from The Castle of Otranto(1764). More importantly, it leads habitually with darkness and horror. Gothic elements include horror, mystery, supernatural phenomenon, misfortune, death, haunted houses, and family elements include the following:1. Setting in a castle. The action takes place in and around an old castle, sometimes seemingly abandoned, sometimes occupied. The castle often contains secret passages, trap doors, secret rooms, dark or hidden staircases, and possibly ruined sections. The castle may be near or connected to caves, which lend their own haunting flavor with their branchings, claustrophobia, and mystery. 2. An atmosphere of mystery and suspense(悬念). The work is pervaded by a threatening feeling, a fear enhanced by the unknown. Often the plot itself is built around a mystery, such as unknown parentage, a disappearance, or some other inexplicable event. Elements 3, 4, and 5 below contribute to this atmosphere. (Again, in modern filmmaking, the inexplicable events are often murders.)3. An ancient prophecy(预言)is connected with the castle or its inhabitants (either former or present). The prophecy is usually obscure, partial, or confusing. "What could it mean?" In more watered down modern examples, this may amount to merely a legend: "It's said that the ghost of old man Krebs still wanders these halls."4. Omens, portents, visions(预兆). A character may have a disturbing dream vision, or some phenomenon may be seen as a portent ing events. For example, if the statue of the lord of the manor falls over, it may portend his death. In modern fiction, a character might see something (a shadowy figure stabbing another shadowy figure) and think that it was a dream. This might be thought of as an "imitation vision."5. Supernatural(超自然的)or otherwise inexplicable(莫名其妙的)events. Dramatic, amazing events occur, such as ghosts or giants walking, or inanimate objects