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Mystery And Suspense In Gothic Literature

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Why does gothic horror even matter in literature? Gothic horror can create numerous ideas found within a novel more interesting or suspenseful about what will happen next. These stories use different characteristics to create a gothic atmosphere in the story. During the Victorian era, the idea of gothic literature grew in popularity. It is influenced by countless ideas, including religious themes around this time period, and usually reflects on the characteristics of the people living in the Victorian era. For example, a large number of people would like to be surrounded in a world containing plenty of mystery and suspense. Then again, a supernatural force can show what someone might or might not want to become. On top of that, a doppelganger in gothic literature definitely represents who the reader should avoid being. As a result, gothic horror is important to a reader because of how it can connect to their lives in a certain way. In the novel Dracula, author Bram Stoker focuses on multiple elements of gothic horror which apply to several of the characters in the novel and can compare to contemporary works that have gothic elements, as well. In any novel, mystery and suspense is a popular characteristic, but contributes very well to what secures a gothic theme to a novel. Here, mystery and suspense are built throughout the novel based on the predicament of the characters. Initially, mystery is built very early on in the story, where the reader is interested to know who the

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