Romantic Prose and Gothic Literature

Pride and Prejudice

Novel written by Jane Austen about a woman (Elizabeth Bennet) who exercises her will and rejects a marriage proposal for emotional reasons despite him being a logical choice as a husband

Free Indirect Discourse

A literary device in which authors write in their characters' voices, implying their thoughts without directly expressing them. Used in Austen's Pride and Prejudice

Epistolary Form

Describes a novel that is written as a series of epistles, or letters. Example: Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

Characteristics of Romantic Prose

Emphasis on the natural and the individual, break away from reason (stronger focus on emotions and intuition), and aspects of the supernatural

Jane Austen

She was a prolific writer of Romantic novels. Examples of her work include Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility, and Northanger Abbey.

Sir Walter Scott

Early 19th century writer of poetry and, later, historical fiction based on his love of the legends and history of Scotland

Characteristics of Brontë Literature

Usually dark, most likely due to the death of their siblings and stern treatment at boarding school. Often with a female protagonist and Gothic influences

19th Century Critical Response to Wuthering Heights

Considered to be very dark, contained a significant amount of cruelty, and was difficult to keep the characters straight

Characteristics of Jane Austen's Prose

Humor: witty heroines and humorous commentary on social conventions. Vivid, clean text

Brontë Sister Pseudonyms

Sisters used the androgynous-sounding names Currer (for Charlotte), Ellis (for Elizabeth), and Acton Bell (for Anne) to be taken more seriously by publishers, as men were more respected

Characteristics of Gothic Literature

Setting: a castle; bad weather; extreme landscapes. Characters: a young, oppressed, virginal heroine; a villain; a brave, handsome hero. Elements: suspense, omens/curses, emotions, supernatural events

Mr. Rochester

A character from Jane Eyre who kept his insane wife locked in an attic. He ends up blinded when his wife escapes and sets fire to the house. He eventually marries Jane.

Jane Eyre

A cruelly treated orphan later falls in love with the mysterious owner of the estate where she is a governess. Includes Gothic elements: suspense; a large, cryptic house. By C. Brontë

Romantic Literature: Components

This form of literature put a lot of focus on individuals and the way they connected with the natural world. It also included supernatural elements as well as imagination and emotions.

Victor Frankenstein

Protagonist of Shelley's Frankenstein. A scientist who determines how to make dead tissue come to life and uses this knowledge to create a sentient living being