 Setting in a Castle  An Atmosphere of Mystery and Suspense  An Ancient Prophecy  Omens, Portents, and Visions  Supernatural or otherwise Inexplicable events  High, even overwrought emotion

 Women in distress  Women threatened by a powerful, impulsive, tyrannical male  The Metonymy of Gloom and Horror  Vocabulary of the Gothic  Elements of Romance

 Action takes place in or around an old castle, sometimes abandoned.  It often has trap doors, secret passages, or anything else that leads to a sense of the unknown

 Pervaded by a threatening feeling, a fear enhanced by the unknown:  Mystery could include-unknown parents, disappearance, or some other

 Usually obscure, and connected with its inhabitants (either former or present)  Eventually manifested as a legend or folk tale (Ex: “It is said that the ghost of old man Smith stills wanders these halls…”)

 Portent means-Indication of something that is about to happen, or soon going to come; a foreshadowing  Often shown in dreams, or visions  EX: If a statue of the main character falls and breaks, that is an omen of what is to come—his death.

 Dramatic amazing events occurred, such as ghosts or giants walking, or inanimate objects coming to life.

 Characters often overcome by extreme:  Anger  Sorrow  Depression  Surprise  And Especially Terror  Frequent Crying  Breathlessness and Panic are common

 Female Characters often face events that leave them:  Fainting  Terrified  Screaming/Crying  Characteristics are:  Pensive  Lonely  Oppressed

 Male character has the power as:  King  Lord of the Manor  Father  Guardian ▪ To demand she do something intolerable ▪ Marry someone she doesn’t love ▪ Commit a Crime ▪ Etc.

 A type of metaphor for doom and gloom: Examples: ▪ Wind, especially howling ▪ Rain, especially blowing ▪ Footsteps approaching ▪ Lights in abandoned rooms ▪ Thunder and lightening ▪ Ruins of buildings

 Listed in several categories:  Mystery: Diabolical, Enchantment, Haunted  Fear/Terror: Afflicted, Agony, Frantic, Grief  Surprise:Alarm, Astonishment, Shock  Haste: Breathless, Anxious, Frantic, Sudden  Anger: Provoked, Rage, Raving, Wrath  Largeness:Gigantic, Vast, Tremendous

 Powerful Love  Uncertainty of Reciprocation  Unreturned Love  Tension Between true love and father’s control  Lovers Parted  Illicit love or lust threatens the virtuous one  Rival lovers or multiple suitors

 Heat stirring, often sudden, emotions create a life or death commitment

 What is the beloved thinking? Is the lover’s love returned or not?

 Someone loves in vain (at least temporarily). Later, the love may be returned

 Disapproval, or choice.  Most often, the father of the woman disapproves of the man she loves

 Some obstacles arise and separate the lovers, geographically or in some other way

 The young woman becomes the target of some evil man’s desires and schemes.

 One of the lovers (or even both) can have more than one person vying for their affection