Fiche de révision : La littérature gothique

📋 Plan du Cours

1. Caractéristiques du roman gothique
2. Origines architecturales du gothique
3. Structure et intrigue de Frankenstein
4. Atmosphère et portrait du monstre
5. Thèmes et portée de Frankenstein
6. Le Château d’Otrante

📖 1. Caractéristiques du roman gothique

🔑 Notions clés & Définitions

• Gothic literature : A literary genre that appeared in the late 18th century and developed in the 19th century.

★ À maîtriser

• Gothic novels commonly feature : darkness and death, strange and frightening characters such as vampires and monsters, excessive feelings, threatening settings, pursuit by an evil character or imprisonment, isolation, appeals to the senses

Compléments

• Gothic heroes often experience excessive feelings and may be pursued by an evil character willing to hurt them or held prisoner.

• Gothic settings often include :

  • night
  • wastelands
  • cliffs
  • wind
  • rain
  • storms
  • thunder
  • fog

• Gothic novels often appeal to :

  • hearing
  • sight
  • touch

💡 Astuce mémo

L’obscurité nourrit la peur, tandis que l’isolement enferme le héros.

📖 2. Origines architecturales du gothique

📝 Points essentiels

• The medieval architectural movement is represented by :

  • churches
  • cathedrals
  • abbeys

• After King Henry VIII left the Catholic Church to create the Church of England, many Catholic symbols were demolished and had become ruins by the 18th century, providing settings for Gothic novels.

💡 Astuce mémo

La destruction des symboles catholiques → des ruines propices aux récits gothiques.

📖 3. Structure et intrigue de Frankenstein

★ À maîtriser

• In the Frankenstein extract, Victor discovers the creature he has created from dead bodies.

• The extract falls into three parts :

  • Victor discovers his achievement
  • Victor reacts to the monster
  • Victor regrets wasting time on the result

Compléments

• Victor’s work on the creature was difficult and prolonged, as shown by “toils” and “deprived of rest.”

💡 Astuce mémo

Découverte du monstre → horreur de Victor → regret.

📖 4. Atmosphère et portrait du monstre

★ À maîtriser

• The Frankenstein scene takes place at night in gloomy darkness, with dim light suggested by “glimmers,” “a half-extinguished candle,” and “possibly burnt out.”

• The contrast is between beautiful features and horrible details :

  • whiteness
  • lustre
  • watery eyes
  • yellow skin
  • dun-white sockets
  • arteries
  • muscles

Compléments

• In the darkness, sound draws attention to noise and the monster’s hard breathing.

• Victor’s horror is conveyed by the phrases “horror filled his heart” and “catastrophe,” as well as by question marks and excessive feelings.

💡 Astuce mémo

Traits lumineux et beaux contre détails horribles.

📖 5. Thèmes et portée de Frankenstein

★ À maîtriser

• Victor regrets creating the creature and wishes he had not created it or wasted his time.

• Victor’s creation of life gives the novel a philosophical dimension because he plays God.

• Frankenstein can be considered the first science-fiction novel, and it warns readers about the use of science.

Compléments

• The novel’s romantic dimension is expressed through its description of feelings.

💡 Astuce mémo

Victor crée la vie → le roman interroge les limites de la science.

📖 6. Le Château d’Otrante

★ À maîtriser

• The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole is described as one of the first Gothic novels ever written.

• Princess Isabella is chased and imprisoned, and she is unable to escape Manfred, a frightening character.

Compléments

• The Castle of Otranto appeals to hearing through a concealed presence, sighs, and footsteps, while Isabella cannot see the person.

• Isabella’s fear rises to “agony of despair” as she doubts what may happen, feels ready to sink, implores the saints, and is at a loss.

• The vault, dim light, gloom, and possible ruined-castle setting create a frightening atmosphere in which Isabella feels for the door and can discern but not distinguish clearly.

• Isabella had been engaged to Conrad, who died as the victim of a prophetic curse cast on his family.

💡 Astuce mémo

Isabella, prisonnière d’un château en ruines, entend une présence qu’elle ne voit pas.