Angela Carter - The Lady Of The House Of Love

Page 1: Understanding Gothic Art and Imagery

Artists and Truth

• Effective artists protect their art with sincerity.

• In art, truth is needed, not sincerity.

• Lewis Carroll, known for his logic, used symbolic logic in stories, often deemed too bleak for adult audiences, thus appealing to children.

Characteristics of the Gothic Mode

• Abstraction and Romanticism: Gothic art derives abstraction from romanticism, delving into the imagery of the unconscious. It includes themes such as:

  • Mirrors symbolizing reflection of the self.

  • Automata representing mechanization of life.

  • Haunted forests and forbidden erotic objects.

• Exaggeration: Characters and events are exaggerated to become symbols of ideas and passions.

• Gothic style features ornate, unnatural elements which challenge the human desire to accept words as realities.

Psychoanalysis and Moral Function

• Psychoanalysis parallels Gothic themes, often using the primal crimes (like parricide and incest) as models of human experiences without moral lessons. The unease provoked by Gothic art serves a moral function.

• Reading solely for pleasure is viewed as immoral, as it can lead to a lack of engagement with deeper meanings of art.

The Dichotomy of Beauty in Art

• Artistic figures such as Milton and Michelangelo embody the duality of beauty and boredom, which may detract from the perception of creative work.

• The intent of romantic art is to subvert established order rather than to indulge in the aesthetic of the sublime.

Reflection on Historical Figures

• The author reflects on the paradoxes of life during the Enlightenment, particularly through figures like the Marquis de Sade, who oscillated between roles of a judge and a prisoner during periods of revolution.

Conclusion of Artistic Interpretation

• Contradictions in art and life produce a depth of understanding and engagement necessary to provoke thought and challenge norms.