Romantic Fiction PDF

ROMANTIC FICTION  INTRODUCTION By the end of the 18th century the novel was the most popular form of fiction. The main trends of the Romantic novel were:  THE GOTHIC NOVEL  THE NOVEL OF MANNERS...

ROMANTIC FICTION  INTRODUCTION By the end of the 18th century the novel was the most popular form of fiction. The main trends of the Romantic novel were:  THE GOTHIC NOVEL  THE NOVEL OF MANNERS  THE NOVEL OF PURPOSE  THE HISTORICAL NOVEL Despite the variety of themes, the novels of the Romantic age had some common traits: A deeper phychological analysis of the characters; Dialogue as the main instrument to express the personality of characters; It tackled important social issues and explored the relationship between the social classes.  THE GOTHIC NOVEL It came to popularity at the end of the 18th century The adjective ‘Gothic’ three connotations Medieval, linked to the Irregular, barbarous, Wild, supernatural, architecture of the opposed to in the sense of 12th-14th centuries Classicism mysterious, opposed to reason  The Gothic novel and the concept of ‘the sublime’ Gothic novels intend to arouse a sense of fear, danger and terror in the reader. They are linked to the concept of the sublime: SUBLIME No emotion is stronger than fear, not even pleasure. The sublime is always founded on terror. To make things even more terrible, two conditions are essential, obscurity and mystery.  The Gothic novel: setting Ancient settings: isolated castles and mysterious abbeys and convents with hidden passages, underground cellars, secret rooms. Catholic countries as the setting for the most terrible crimes, due to Protestant prejudices against Catholicism. Darkness necessary ingredient for the mysterious, gloomy (cupo, tetro) atmosphere. The most important events take place during the night. Great importance given to terror, characterised by obscurity and uncertainty, and horror, caused by evil and atrocity.  The Gothic novel: characters The Gothic hero is usually isolated, either voluntarily or involuntarily. The heroine is stricken by (scossa da) unreal terrors and persecuted by a villain. The outcast of several Gothic tales is the symbol of isolation as he wanders the earth in perpetual exile, usually as a form of divine punishment. Supernatural beings, like monsters, witches, vampires, ghosts which increase the sense of suspense and mystery.  Famous gothic novels The first novel to be classified as Gothic: The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole; The mysteries of Udolfo by Ann Radcliffe; Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. Edgar Allan Poe was influenced by the traditions of the Gothic novel: his short stories explore the dark side of the human mind and focus on different themes such as horror, mystery and the supernatural.  THE NOVEL OF MANNERS Jane Austen is the undisputed master of the novel of manners MAIN FEATURES Centred on the Influence of Set in the analysis of the countryside, class distinctions Main themes: social conventions focused on a on the way marriage, the shared by the group of wealthy people treat complications of members of the people who each other and love and upper and middle- interacted in class and country on their situations like visits, friendship. gentry. personality. balls, tea parties.  THE NOVEL OF MANNERS Jane Austen is the undisputed master of the novel of manners MAIN FEATURES DIALOGUE plays Feelings and Third-person a central role, emotions are not narrator. especially as a expressed directly vehicle for irony. but more subtly.  THE NOVEL OF PURPOSE AND MARY SHELLEY The novel of purpose: its main aim is to propagate certain philosophical or political ideas and to raise people’s consciousness about a particular theme or issue. It was developed mainly by Mary Shelley, whose masterpiece Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus is a Romantic rewriting of the classical myth of Prometheus, the Titan who was punished by Zeus because he had stolen the fire from the gods and gave it to humanity. Frankenstein managed to create artificial life, thus becoming a sort of God- like being. Original examination of the question of scientific research and ethical responsibility and of the essence of human nature.  THE HISTORICAL NOVEL AND WALTER SCOTT The Romantic historical novel combines the era’s interest in the past (in particular the Middle Ages) and folk tales and traditions. The founder of this genre was Walter Scott. His masterpiece, Ivanhoe, was a historical exploration of the conflict between the Saxons and the Normans. He introduced a new concept of history, based on the lives of ordinary people rather than on those of kings and noblemen. He was interested in the moments when an important historical crisis caused personal problems in individuals or in groups. Scott influenced the Italian writer Alessandro Manzoni. They both mingled historical truths and fiction.