Literary Masterworks: Romanticism and Gothic Literature

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Literary Masterworks: Romanticism and Gothic Literature

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Key Aspects and Romantic Elements

  • Author & Title: Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights
  • Central Conflict: Hindley's envy and hatred towards Heathcliff.
  • Symbolism Example: The "large oak case, with squares cut out near the top, resembling coach windows" served as a table.
  • Literary Devices:
    • Foreshadowing
    • Irony
    • Personification
  • Main Characters:
    • Catherine Earnshaw
    • Heathcliff
    • Isabella Linton
    • Edgar Linton
    • Catherine Linton (Cathy)
    • Nelly Dean
    • Hareton Earnshaw
    • Hindley Earnshaw
    • Linton Heathcliff
  • Connection to Romanticism: The novel embodies many elements of Romanticism, with beauty, mystery, and the supernatural playing significant roles.

The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe

Psychological Depth and Dark Romanticism

  • Author & Title: Edgar Allan Poe, The Tell-Tale Heart
  • Plot & Setting: The narrator lives with an old man whose "vulture-like" eye disturbs him. The story takes place in an old, unspecified house.
  • Key Themes:
    • Murder
    • Suspense
  • Literary Devices:
    • Imagery
    • Simile
    • Tone
    • Symbolism
  • Main Characters:
    • The Narrator
    • The Old Man
    • The Policemen
    • Neighbors
  • Connection to Dark Romanticism: The story's main link to the Romantic period is its expression of intense emotions and internal conflicts. The narrator's irrationality, driven by his obsession with the old man's eye, and his auditory hallucinations mark him as insane, reflecting key characteristics of Dark Romanticism.

The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe

Gothic Elements and Psychological Horror

  • Author & Title: Edgar Allan Poe, The Fall of the House of Usher
  • Literary Context: Explores Gothic literature, the sublime, and the period of fear.
  • Key Themes:
    • Madness
    • Family
    • Isolation
    • Fear
    • Identity
  • Literary Devices:
    • Tone
    • Personification
    • Alliteration
    • Mood
    • Imagery
  • Main Characters:
    • The Narrator
    • Roderick Usher
    • Madeline Usher
  • Author's Use of Elements:
    • Gothic Style
    • Supernatural or Unrealistic Elements
    • Symbolism

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