Dorian Gray Benig Characterised as Gothic

The notion of the Gothic novel, also known as the “Gothic romance”, was a genre initiated by Horace Warpol’s Castle of Otranto, a Gothic Story (1764). The Gothic genre of fictional prose spread over the 19th century. The idea of a gothic themed story is not simply characterized as a gloomy, horror story; there is more to the notion than simply this. The Picture of Dorian Gray is the only published novel by Oscar Wilde. Having first appeared in 1890 it was edited by Wilde and published in 1891. Given the time in which book was published it is considered to be part of the Gothic revival at the time. Critic, Kenneth Womack concurs with this. The Picture of Dorian Gray is considered by both readers and critics alike to be a great work of classic gothic horror fiction. There are features of this work that would constitute it being a gothic novel, I will proceed to highlight these features and discuss its prevalence and importance within the novel. The emergence of the Gothic genre can be credited to changes in cultural importance during the eighteenth century. It simply represented the middle ground during a transition from old fashioned to modern. From barbaric to civilized. Gothic has always been regarded as the archaic and the pagan refusing to give way to what was thought of as the civilized, polite society. One of the main features of a gothic novel is the setting in which the work is situated. This refers to the actual locations in which the plot is centered, as well as, the atmosphere and metonymy used. In this work, there are locations used by Wilde to evoke a sense of horror and trepidation. One noted location is the room in which Dorian Gray conceals his portrait. This room, formally his play and study room as a child, was kept locked and not maintained. The only reason why this room was reopened by Dorian was to provide him with a place to hide the painting that displayed his soul. As we read, we can note that Wilde described the room as containing

References: Campbell, Donna. "Gothic, Novel, and Romance: Brief Definitions". Department of English, Washington State University. 17/02/10 . Clausson, Nils. ""Culture and corruption": Paterian self-development versus Gothic degeneration in Oscar Wilde 's The Picture of Dorian Gray.". Access my Library. 16/02/10 . Cummings, Michael J.. "The Picture of Dorian Gray, A Study Guide". Cummings Study Guides . 17/02/10 . “ Gothic Literature > Wilde, Oscar (1854 - 1900) - Introduction". enotes.com. 22/02/10 . Junger, Mathias. "Elements of a Gothic novel in The Picture of Dorian Gray". 15/02/10 .