The Sublime in the English Gothic Novel: Horace Walpole´s The Castle of Otranto

Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,0 (B), Humboldt-University of Berlin (Institute for Anglistics/ American Studies), course: HS Novels of the Romatic Period, language: English, abstract: In this paper I will examine the Gothic sublime by using the example of Horace Walpole´s novel The Castle of Otranto. I want to examine the features of the Gothic sublime: what was new and different about it? how is this reflected in the novel?; in order to prove the importance of Walpole´s work. It marks, in a certain aspect, a turning point in literature, since it is regarded the first Gothic novel. I will argue that the horror as developed in The Castle of Otranto is not simply based upon the appearance of ghosts and supernatural events, but rather a subtle kind of horror. Firstly, an introduction into the Gothic novel in general, its characteristic features, and the examination of the cultural background of English Gothic fiction shall give a brief overview over the topic. Secondly, I will examine the means by which Walpole evokes fear in the reader, and the effects they had.