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Transformation of the Gothic in Nineteenth-Century British Literature and Culture
Mikulová, Martina ; Nováková, Soňa (advisor) ; Beran, Zdeněk (referee)
Thesis abstract: Despite the fact that some critics view the period of the true Gothic as ending in the year 1820, others consider it to be a genre, as well as an aesthetic, which can still be perceived across various different cultural aspects to this day. Possibly the best way to approach the Gothic within the realm of literature is to observe several key examples of the Gothic topos, which was grounded in the original Gothic pieces of the eighteenth century. During the course of the nineteenth century, a historical period which from the cultural point of view appears almost inherently Gothic, British Gothic writing has undergone considerable changes and development, maintaining several of the key Gothic features, namely those of setting, isolation, and character types, modifying them in the process. Through this, it can be observed to what extent the aspects remain, and just how far-reaching their transformation was within the six exemplary works - Frankenstein, The Vampyre, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Carmilla, and Dracula. Another important aspect overlaying the selected works is that of monstrosity - a rather physical interpretation of the inner monstrosities of humans, or indeed an entire culture. The literary works, no matter how different at first glance they may appear to be, all utilize typical...
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Gothic Elements in the Novels of the Bronte Sisters
Mikulová, Martina ; Nováková, Soňa (advisor) ; Beran, Zdeněk (referee)
Gothic Elements in the Novels of the Brontë Sisters Thesis abstract Gothic fiction, with its eerie atmosphere and mysterious characters, had a great influence on many later authors. That was without a doubt also the case of the Brontë sisters. Emily's Wuthering Heights, with Charlotte's Jane Eyre and Villette, all contain profound elements of the Gothic. One of the most interesting aspects and perhaps the leading element here is the variety of Gothic character types, which can be found in these novels. By their actions, motivations, and even physical appearance, these characters very much contribute to the creation of a Gothic atmosphere in the novels. The Gothic novel genre has been described as relying on stock character types, some of which indeed entered later fiction, and here were variously transformed. The thesis will therefore identify such characters, trace their Gothic history, and consequently focus on analysing their relation with other important stock Gothic attributes - the environment (such as buildings or landscapes) and the elements of the supernatural - and their role in the overall atmosphere of the novels. Martina Mikulová
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