Gothic literature
Gothic literature entitled The Castle of Otranto discusses the horrors of love in the context of traditional gender roles. The literature dictates that men must have a public, private, and domestic life Men must have an heir. Unfortunately, horror confronts Manfred when his only heir to the throne, Conrad, was killed by a helmet. Also, Gothic literature includes the literary horrific masterpieces of love unfulfilled. Gothic literature injects spine chilling horror themes into a romantic literary masterpiece (Frank 22).
Further, Gothic literature is characterized by Gothic architecture described as disenchantment with transparency and rationalism of the neoclassical literary style of the Enlightenment movement. Gothic literature is filled to the brim with stories of extreme emotion, the thrill of fearfulness as well as awe inherent in the sublime, and a mission for atmosphere. Gothic writers often described their approved buildings as medieval -inspired. Gothic writers often use medieval buildings (Morgan 41). The term Medieval brings to mind castles and knights Consequently, the Conrad and Isabella marriage had been cancelled (ref HYPERLINK httpwww.gutenberg.orgdirsetext96cotrt10.txt httpwww.gutenberg.orgdirsetext96cotrt10.txt).
Likewise, it is the gender role of women to avoid going outside their private and domestic boundaries. Women must fulfill their social role of giving birth to a child. Unfortunately, Manfreds wife, Hippolita, could not bear King Manfred a male child. Failing to fulfill her gender duty, King Manfred is forced to divorce his Hippolita. King Manfred plans to marry Isabella in order to have an heir. The presence of an heir will forestall the prophecy that states That the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it (Walpole 2).
In addition, the story tells of a fathers duty to nurture and protect his children. Father Jerome begs King Manfred to spare the life of Theodore. Father Jerome is convinced that Theodore is his child. Father Jeromes belief is based on the telltale marking found below Theodores shoulder. It is the mark that proves Theodore is his real son.
In addition, traditional gender roles are treated in Gothic literature as males and females falling in love in a horror based environment. Both Conrad and Isabella preferred to marry in order to fulfill their duty to continue as the next king and queen of King Manfreds Castle of Otranto. This is the case of Horace Walpoles 1764 novel entitled The Castle of Otranto. The Gothic story of Otranto is filled with Melodrama and self parody.
Further, one gender role clearly spelled out in the Otranto story is womens subservience. Queen Hippolita has to comply with King Manfreds desire to divorce. Isabella accepts King Manfreds wish to marry his sick son, Conrad. However, the story also shows that there is a limit to womens subservience. Isabella refuses King Manfreds requests to marry him. This refusal angers King Manfred. In response, he refuses to accept her no as an answer. He will use force to make her marry him. Manfred tells Father Jerome I do not use to let my wife be acquainted with the secret affairs of my state they are not within a womans province (Walpole 65). The line clearly shows that women are relegated to domestic affairs while the men are made to have a public affair.
Likewise, women inside the Otranto Castle were forbidden to gather information regarding the death of Conrad because they were not allowed to leave their domestic boundaries. King Manfred ordered that the Otranto gates will be locked to prevent the women from seeing the outside world in violation of the policy that women are destined to stay within their domestic lines. Happily, Matilda opened her domestic window when she heard Theodores voice from her closed window. Matilda informs Theodore that talking to him is a transgression of social norms during their time stating It is not seemly for to hold farther converse with a man at this unwonted hour should the laborers come into the fields and perceive (Walpole 57). King Manfred wanted to kill Isabella because he was jealous of Theodore. Likewise, both Matilda and Isabella converse with each other regarding their similar love feelings for Theodore.
In addition, Queen Hippolita is the embodiment of womens subservience during the Gothic period. Queen Hippolita accepts the gender abuses of King Manfred by increasing her passivity. This passivity is translated into Queen Hippolitas replicated oppression on her daughter, Matilda. Queen Hippolita commands Matilda to be submissive to all the commands of her father, King Manfred. Matilda shows more subservience to her mother than her father. She violates her fathers command not to disturb him when her mother instructs encouraged her to venture disobeying the orders he had given. Matilda also obeys her mother to stop conversing with Theodore with the words A frown from thee can do more than my entire fathers severity (Walpole 156). This clearly tells that mothers (females) will have more influence over children than the fathers (males).
Based on the above Gothic based gender treatment in Gothic literature, both gender personalities in the first Gothic literary masterpiece, The Castle of Otranto, strive to perform their duties. In turn, the personalities accept the fate of being outcasts if they fail to comply with their compulsory gender tasks. The wife, Hippolita, could not win against the husbands proposal to divorce her for not bearing a proper heir. Likewise, Isabella accepts her role to be Conrads wife and be the next queen of Otranto.
Likewise, King Manfred is willing to stop at nothing to achieve his goal of having a next heir. He is willing to kill Theodore to reach Isabella. Theodore escapes from the castle of Otranto to save Isabella from the forceful demands of the king. Isabella characterizes a woman who wants to marry someone she loves. Isabella tries to escape from the clutches of King Manfred because she could not stand the horror of being forced to do something against her will. Theodore plays the role of a hero. He endangers his own life for the sake of saving Isabella from being forced into a marriage against her will. Theodore hides Isabella in a cave and stands guard to prevent King Manfred from forcibly taking here away into enslaved marriage. Theodore finally fights against an approaching knight to the death to prevent anyone from taking Isabella from him. This knight is wounded by Theodore. Theodore later finds that the defeated knight is Isabellas father, King Frederic.
And, the Gothic story depicts knights arriving to rescue Isabella from the encroaching arms of King Manfred. Again, one of the knights tries to save Isabella from King Manfred. The knight is Isabellas father, King Frederic. Consequently, the story goes on a romantic turn. King Frederic asks permission from King Manfred to marry Matilda, King Manfreds daughter. Likewise, King Manfred asks King Frederics blessings to marry King Frederics daughter, Isabella. They both agreed to the double marriage (ref HYPERLINK httpwww.gutenberg.orgdirsetext96cotrt10.txt httpwww.gutenberg.orgdirsetext96cotrt10.txt).
Unfortunately, Gothic literary horror steps in to prevent the double marriage. King Manfred unintentionally kills his own daughter, Matilda. King Manfred thought the faintly speaking woman was Isabella secretly having a romantic rendezvous with Theodore. King Manfreds jealousy caused the horrific death of his own daughter. The story climaxes with the consummated marriage of Theodore and Isabella. In addition, King Manfred was disgraced for murdering his own daughter by mistake. Clearly, the gender depiction of the Gothic literature above affected the characterization of heroes or heroines, villains and victims.
Clearly, the supernatural plays a very influential role in eroding traditional concepts of gender. King Manfred do everything in his power to stop the supernatural saying That the castle and lordship of Otranto should pass from the present family, whenever the real owner should be grown too large to inhabit it (Walpole 2) from happening. King Manfred believes that the doomsday saying is a warning to him to produce an heir. King Manfred is willing to kill Theodore or anyone who blocks his diabolical scheme of marrying Isabella. In turn, Theodore prevents King Manfred from forcing himself on Isabella (Ref HYPERLINK httpwww.gutenberg.orgdirsetext96cotrt10.txt httpwww.gutenberg.orgdirsetext96cotrt10.txt).
Briefly, the story The Castle of Otranto is Gothic literary masterpiece. It clearly shows the dominating gender roles reserved for males and females. King Manfred will not take Isabellas no as he insists that Isabella should his next wife. Queen Hippolita is a subservient woman who accepts that her fate lies in the hands of King Manfred. Romance (Theodore and Matilda) adds beauty to a horrific story, even though Matilda met an untimely death. Definitely, Gothic literatures The Castle of Otranto vividly awakens people to the horrors of gender discrimination.
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