Gothic Literature and Dark Romanticism
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11/09
63 Terms
Gothic Literature
A literary movement focused on darkness, mystery, fear, the supernatural, and the irrational side of human nature.
Gothic Elements
Dark settings, isolation, supernatural events, death, psychological conflict, mystery, and terror.
Calvinism
A belief system emphasizing human sinfulness and predestination.
Faith (Young Goodman Brown)
Symbolizes innocence, goodness, and religious faith.
Pink Ribbon
Symbolizes Faith's purity and innocence.
Forest (Young Goodman Brown)
Symbolizes temptation, evil, and the unknown.
Theme of Young Goodman Brown
Good and evil exist within everyone.
How Goodman Brown Changes
He becomes distrustful, suspicious, and hopeless after his experience.
What Goodman Brown Learns
He believes that everyone around him is sinful.
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Author of "Young Goodman Brown."
Edgar Allan Poe
Author of "The Raven," "The Masque of the Red Death," and "The Cask of Amontillado."
Lenore
The lost woman mourned by the narrator in "The Raven."
The Raven
Symbol of grief, death, and the inability to escape sorrow.
Nevermore
Represents the finality of death and loss.
Theme of The Raven
Obsession with grief can consume a person.
Alliteration
Repetition of beginning consonant sounds.
Internal Rhyme
Rhyme occurring within a line of poetry.
Assonance
Repetition of vowel sounds.
Prince Prospero
Wealthy ruler in "The Masque of the Red Death."
Red Death
Symbolizes the inevitability of death.
The Abbey
The place where Prospero hides from the plague.
The Clock
Symbolizes the passage of time and the approach of death.
The Masked Figure
Represents death itself.
Theme of The Masque of the Red Death
No one can escape death.
How Prospero Dies
He confronts the masked figure and dies.
Montresor
The narrator seeking revenge in "The Cask of Amontillado."
Fortunato
The victim lured into the catacombs by Montresor.
Amontillado
A rare wine used to trick Fortunato.
Reason Montresor Kills Fortunato
Because he believes Fortunato insulted him.
Catacombs
Symbolize death and the darkness of revenge.
Irony in The Cask of Amontillado
Fortunato's name means fortunate, yet he is murdered.
Theme of The Cask of Amontillado
Revenge can become obsessive and destructive.
Old Scratch
The Devil in "The Devil and Tom Walker."
Tom Walker
A greedy man who makes a bargain with the Devil.
Washington Irving
Author of "The Devil and Tom Walker."
Tom Walker's Wife
A greedy woman who disappears while trying to bargain with the Devil.
Pirate Treasure
The hidden wealth Tom discovers through Old Scratch.
Why Tom Accepts the Deal
His greed becomes stronger than his conscience.
Usury
Lending money at extremely high interest rates.
Tom's Job
A wealthy moneylender who profits from others' misfortune.
How Tom Tries to Save Himself
He becomes outwardly religious and carries religious books.
Does Tom Truly Repent?
No, his religion is motivated by fear rather than genuine faith.
How The Devil and Tom Walker Ends
The Devil comes to collect Tom's soul.
Theme of The Devil and Tom Walker
Greed and dishonesty lead to destruction.
Forest (The Devil and Tom Walker)
Symbolizes temptation, evil, and the Devil's domain.
Symbolism
The use of objects, people, or events to represent larger ideas.
Theme
A central message or lesson in a work of literature.
Revenge
A major theme in "The Cask of Amontillado."
Greed
A major theme in "The Devil and Tom Walker."
Inevitability of Death
A major theme in "The Masque of the Red Death" and "The Raven."
Good vs. Evil
A major theme in Gothic literature and "Young Goodman Brown."
Psychological Horror
Fear created through a character's thoughts, emotions, or mental state rather than physical danger.
Supernatural Elements
Events or beings that cannot be explained by natural laws, common in Gothic literature.