Research Paper on:
Oscar Wilde's Gothic Novel The Picture of Dorian Gray

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
fantasy, and elements of the supernatural. This was later given the term, Gothic. There are several characteristics which distinguish the Gothic novel from others. These elements, including setting, characters, and  theme, are in fact, present in the novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Gothic writers loved to set their stories in huge homes, mansions, castles, or other such elaborate buildings.  Some of the places would have trap doors and secret passages and they were quite often furnished elaborately with antiques and heavy furniture. This contributes to the feeling of heaviness,  staleness, and gloominess(Tracey 1981). In Dorian Gray, the student will wish to state, this element is quite obvious in that this book takes place in the London mansion of Lady  Agatha, Dorian Grays aunt. It is furnished in the requisite antiques and old portraits hang on the walls. Oriental rugs are on the floor and the whole house has a  careless opulence about it. Additionally, Gothic characters are generally not very well defined. In fact, they are quite often only two dimensional and the reader has to assume many of  the motivations for the actions taken by the heroes and heroines. Most of the characters, or at least a majority of them, are part of the noble set, the aristocracy,  the landed wealthy(Frank 1981). The heroine is often too perfect and too sweet, whereas the heroes are usually young and dashing, sometimes brash, but always basically good at heart.  The villain is often of the black hat variety, meaning that it is soon evident who is the bad guy. In addition, this villain is very bad, whereas in later  years even the villain is allowed to have more dimension. The villain may have some sort of supernatural aura about him, or actually dabble in the occult. In The Picture