Gothic writing remains fascinated by objects and practices that are :: English Literature

Gothic writing remains fascinated by objects and practices that are negative, irrational and immoral. How far would you agree with this statement? Jane Eyre? WHY the focus, why the preoccupation? Introduction It is typical of Gothic writing to be fascinated by objects and practices that are negative, irrational and immoral.(define key term in terms of gothic elements) Such objects and practices are usually shunned by the society, much of which are very controversial. However, the Gothic being didactic in nature uses these objects and practices to challenge and convey a certain moral agenda. In this essay, in the context of Charlotte Bronte'sJane Eyre and Bram Stoker's Dracula, we are going to explore the different objects and practices in these novels that are negative, irrational and immoral and show how they can convey a moral agenda. There are several objects and practices in which portrays the immoral obesssions??? of Victorian society. Practices such as polygamy, voyeurism and rape, , incest and theà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Oedipus complex are such of immoral practices in which shows that the Gothic is fascinated in its writing. Polygamy is regarded immoral in Victorian times as men are traditonalluy monogamysupposed to have relationships with more than one woman. The blood transfusion scene in Stoker's Dracula of Lucy by Arthur Holmwood, Quincey Morris, Van Helsing and Doctor Seward depicts the controversies of polygamy. In page 225, Arthur claims that "he felt, since (the blood transfusion), as if 'they too had been really married and that she was his wife in the sight of God". This shows that Arthur, in Freudian terms, is already 'married' during the transfusion, along with the other men. If the idea of transfusing as a divine practice of marriage, the fact that, the other three men had also transferred blood to her would mean that they too have married her. This fulfils Lucy's desire of "letting a girl marry three menà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ as many want her", as it has been said in page 81. Voyeurism and rape, in which is regarded as an immoral act is also shown in Dracula in which the act of staking Lucy's heart is according Roth (199) is "relatively explicit and full of sexuality". When the stake is driven into her heart, she lapses into an orgasmic-like state, as it is quoted in page 277, "The Thing in the coffin writhed; and a hideous blood-curdling screech came from the opened red lips." Females being sexually open are regarded as immoral during the Victorian era. There are several examples showing Lucy being sexually open, as such in page 80, "You think me as a horrid flirt though I can't help feeling a sort of exaltation that" two men were interested