GOTHIC NOVEL AS A TIMELESS GENRE CATEGORY

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to study the artistic and compositional peculiarities of the English Gothic novel as a genre category. The object of the study is the English artistic novel in its development, from the time of its origin (second half of the XVIII century) to the present day. The artistic features of the Gothic novel genre in the English literature make the subject. As a result of the study, specific features of English Gothic novels have been revealed and described using the novels by H. Walpole («The Castle of Otranto») and D. Coates («The Haunting of Gillespie House»). The term «romance» is used to refer to the genuine Gothic novel in theoretical works on literature since «romance» is associated with the medieval fantasy novel. We have found out that romances by H. Walpole «The Castle of Otranto» and D. Coates «The Haunting of Gillespie House», written in the XVIII century and XXI century respectively, have many common features, including the means of creating images, atmosphere, description of the interior and exterior and their plot lines. The novels of the classical and modern epoch share an unusual chronotope, victory over the evil forces, proximity to death and the other world, and a happy ending. Thus, Gothic literature, despite the strong impression of horror, manifests humanism, which helps readers believe in themselves and feel the harmony of the world.