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Slide 2 Elements of Gothic Literature Background on Edgar Allen Poe Comprehension of The Masque of the Red Death and The Raven Literary Elements: Allegory, Archetypes, Allusion, Symbolism, Unreliable Narrator Vocabulary Connecting historical plagues and current events with the Red Death Summary, Making Connections, Note-Taking Slide 3 What makes a work Gothic is a combination of at least some of these elements: a castle, ruined or intact, haunted or not; ruined buildings which are sinister or which arouse a pleasing melancholy; dungeons, underground passages, crypts, and catacombs which, in modern houses, become spooky basements or attics; Slide 4 labyrinths, dark corridors, and winding stairs, shadows, a beam of moonlight in the blackness, a flickering candle, or the only source of light failing (a candle blown out or an electric failure), extreme landscapes, like rugged mountains, thick forests, or icy wastes, and extreme weather, omens and ancestral curses, Slide 5 magic, supernatural manifestations, or the suggestion of the supernatural, a passion-driven, willful villain-hero or villain, a curious heroine with a tendency to faint and a need to be rescuedfrequently, a hero whose true identity is revealed by the end of the novel, horrifying (or terrifying) events or the threat of such happenings. Slide 6 Slide 7 Slide 8 Slide 9 Slide 10 Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland Built in 1456 Slide 11 Slide 12 For some of us--and I include myself, the prospect of safely experiencing dread or horror is thrilling and enjoyable. Lilia Melani Slide 13 "I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity." Edgar Allan Poe 19 th Century Genius 1809-1849 Edgar Allan Poe Slide 14 Biological Parents: The Poes Daviddrank heavily Elizabethdeserted by husband and died at young age Edgar was left an orphan Adopted Parents: The Allans Johnbecame Edgars guardian and provided for his education, but never supported his decisions Francisadored Edgar, but never legally adopted him Edgar took Allan as his middle name, wanted to feel like he belonged Slide 15 Most known for his Gothic writings Gothic-a genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. Nicknamed The Father of the Detective Story Most respected for his career as an essayist and editor of the Southern Literary Messenger Slide 16 Most prestigious poemThe Raven Other detective stories The Purloined Letter The Fall of the House of Usher The Cask of Amontillado The Tell-Tale Heart Slide 17 Lived with his Aunt, Maria Clemm, during times of financial hardship Fell in love and married Clemms daughter, Virginia, when she was 13 Virginia was Poes cousin Slide 18 Many people close to Poe died. Mrs. Poe-tuberculosis Mrs. Allan-tuberculosis Virginia-tuberculosis Much of his life was lived in poverty. He was never able to provide for his wife. Slide 19 Found half-dead in an alley in Baltimore. Died 4 days later in a hospital. Cause of death was unknown, but could be attributed to alcoholism, drugs, or other illness. Slide 20 Poe always wore black reinforcing the Gothic theme. Always spoke in a whisper or low tones, even in a violent discussion. Wrote a short story about travelling to the moon. Slide 21 Slide 22 Slide 23 Began in Sicily in 1347 Carried on ships from the East Carriers were rats/fleas! Trading ships carried the plague inland to Italy Conditions in the cities was perfect for the plague No regulated garbage collections Refuse accumulated in piles in the streets Rushes were used instead of rugscreating a breeding ground for vermin No running waterno regular bathing Slide 24 Precautions: Isolation play today for we die tomorrow Flee! Result: Bodies piled up in the streets and were removed with carts Mass burials in ditches Fleas on Rats Slide 25 Slide 26 tangible: (adjective) something you can physically touch or mentally wrap your mind around Slide 27 Slide 28 Slide 29 Slide 30 Slide 31 Slide 32 Slide 33 Slide 34 Slide 35 Slide 36 Slide 37 Slide 38 Slide 39 Slide 40 Slide 41 Slide 42 Slide 43 Slide 44 The east (directional not cultural) Beginnings Birth unknown- (Bolt out of the blue.) Sin: Lust Nature: water It can also mean: peace, tranquility, calm, stability, harmony, unity, trust, truth, confidence, order, security, cleanliness, loyalty, cold, technology, depression. Slide 45 Combination of blue (birth) and red (life/intensity) Beginnings of growth A period of life when something was accomplished Sin: Pride Nature: animals It can also mean: royalty, spirituality, nobility, ceremony, mystery, transformation, wisdom, enlightenment, cruelty, arrogance, mourning. Slide 46 spring of life- (In the prime of his years) Youth Sin: Envy Nature: plants It can also mean: nature, environment, health, good luck, renewal, youth, vigor, spring, envy, generosity, jealousy, inexperience Slide 47 Summer/autumn of life- (beyond his prime but not yet old) The harvest or fulfillment of human labor and ambition. - Kermit Vanderbilt Sin: Gluttony Nature: energy/ Balance Sun It can also mean: energy, balance, warmth, enthusiasm, vibrancy, expansiveness, flamboyance, demands for attention, often worn by the self- sacrificing hero, worn by Buddhist monk Slide 48 Suggests age White hair Bones Decomposition- approaching death Nature: The Sun It can also mean: reverence, purity, simplicity, cleanliness, peace, humility, precision, innocence, youth, birth, winter, snow, good, marriage (in Western cultures), cold, death (in Eastern cultures) Slide 49 Combination of purple/blue or purple/grey Shadowy color Represents gravity, chastity, somberness- the dignity of old age Slide 50 DEATH!!! The west (directional not cultural) Nature: primordial void It can also mean: power, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, fear, evil, depth, anonymity, unhappiness, style, sadness, remorse, anger, underground, mourning, death Slide 51 East Life Beginnings Sunrise West Death Endings Sunset Slide 52 Gothic literature: genre of literature that combines both horror and romance Unreliable narrator: narrator who may not always know the whole truth or may purposely choose to deceive the reader. Allusion: a reference to another body of work which acts like a kind of shorthand, bringing additional meaning and emotional impact to a story, like the use of the terms Achilles heel (Watch for this as we read!) Slide 53 is an extended metaphor that is carried throughout an story or novel. It features a set of recognizable symbols whose meanings combine to convey a message. An allegory always operates on two levels of meaning: the literal elements of the plot (the colors of the rooms, for example) and their symbolic counterparts, which often involve large philosophical concepts (such as life and death). The underlying meaning has moral, social, religious, or political significance, and characters are often personifications of abstract ideas as charity, greed, or envy. Slide 54 Rich and powerful people often build huge houses. They build high walls around their estates so that they can block out the upsetting parts of life, just like Prince Prospero. If you were Prince Prospero and could hide from your fears, what would you hide from? Would you hide? Or would you face your fear?