Both novels are filed under Gothic fiction. Gothic always represents “otherness”. “Gothic fiction,…, frequently represents the ways in which both family and class, …, are threatened or attacked by the ‘dark forces’ of transgressive sexuality, illicit desires, and unsanctioned class mobility”(Niqi:1). The Gothic centre is “the realm of the family and the domestic and the class structures”(Niqi:2). Anne Williams argues that “the Gothic myth” (Williams: 22) is the patriarchal family. Gothic is determined by the rules of the family because family structure also generates the plots within Gothic. “Gothic plots are family plots, Gothic romance is family romance.” (Williams: 22)
In the English language plot also means “an area of ground” and therefore the “Gothic myth” has special kinds of settings. Not every story can take place in a haunted castle.
Table of Contents
1. The novels Interview with the Vampire and Wuthering Heights and the diabolical reversal of the nuclear family
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Analysis of Interview with the vampire
1.3 Analysis of Wuthering Heights
1.4 Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
The essay explores the theme of the "diabolical reversal of the nuclear family" within Gothic literature, specifically comparing Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights and Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire to illustrate how Gothic narratives subvert traditional domestic structures.
- Analysis of the nuclear family as a Gothic construct and its subversion.
- Examination of "otherness" and patriarchal control in Gothic fiction.
- Comparison of character dynamics and familial roles in Interview with the Vampire.
- Investigation of social alienation and domestic violence in Wuthering Heights.
- Interpretation of the Gothic genre as a discourse on the home and social order.
Excerpt from the Book
The novels Interview with the Vampire and Wuthering Heights and the diabolical reversal of the nuclear family
In the following essay I will talk about the diabolical reversal of the nuclear family in the novels Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë and Interview with the vampire by Anne Rice. I found it very hard to find material on this aspects. There were hardly any books in the library I could use and I could not find much information or articles about it.
Both novels are filed under Gothic fiction. Gothic always represents “otherness”. “Gothic fiction,…, frequently represents the ways in which both family and class, …, are threatened or attacked by the ‘dark forces’ of transgressive sexuality, illicit desires, and unsanctioned class mobility”(Niqi:1). The Gothic centre is “the realm of the family and the domestic and the class structures”(Niqi:2). Anne Williams argues that “the Gothic myth” (Williams: 22) is the patriarchal family. Gothic is determined by the rules of the family because family structure also generates the plots within Gothic. “Gothic plots are family plots, Gothic romance is family romance.” (Williams: 22)
Summary of Chapters
1. The novels Interview with the Vampire and Wuthering Heights and the diabolical reversal of the nuclear family: The essay introduces the thesis that the nuclear family is subverted in Gothic literature and establishes the theoretical framework for comparing the two primary texts.
Keywords
Gothic fiction, nuclear family, Wuthering Heights, Interview with the Vampire, otherness, patriarchal control, transgressive sexuality, domesticity, social alienation, Anne Rice, Emily Brontë, Gothic myth, rebellion, family romance, victimhood.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this academic essay?
The essay explores how the traditional concept of the nuclear family is diabolically reversed or subverted in Gothic literature, specifically focusing on the novels Wuthering Heights and Interview with the Vampire.
What are the primary thematic fields discussed?
Key themes include the representation of "otherness," the critique of patriarchal family structures, the impact of transgressive sexuality, and the role of social class in Gothic narratives.
What is the core research question addressed by the author?
The author investigates how the two selected novels challenge and invert the idealized image of the nuclear family, characterizing these deviations as "diabolical."
Which scientific method is utilized in this paper?
The author employs a comparative literary analysis, utilizing critical theory to examine the relationship between domestic spaces, family dynamics, and the Gothic genre.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body analyzes character motivations, the symbolism of the vampire as an "other," the destructive nature of parental obsessions in Wuthering Heights, and the influence of Gothic conventions on Victorian and modern literature.
Which terms best characterize this work?
Primary descriptors include Gothic studies, literary analysis, familial subversion, patriarchal critique, and comparative novel study.
How does the author define the "Gothic myth" in relation to the family?
Drawing on the work of Anne Williams, the author defines the Gothic myth as the patriarchal family, noting that Gothic plots are inherently family plots and romances.
What specific role does the character of Heathcliff play in the "diabolical" family structure?
Heathcliff is portrayed as a Gothic anti-hero and an outsider whose rejection by social and family orders triggers a destructive path, ultimately threatening the stability of the Earnshaw household.
Why are the vampires in Anne Rice's novel considered a "diabolical" family unit?
The author argues they form a family with non-traditional dynamics—such as two male parents and a child who remains trapped in a state of eternal, malicious childhood—which reverses the values of the suburban nuclear family.
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- Bianca Stärk (Autor:in), 2003, 'Interview with the vampire' and 'Wuthering Heights' and the diabolical reversal of the nuclear family, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/64267
