ECHOES OF DARKNESS: UNVEILING THE GOTHIC IN HOUSE OF SALT AND SORROWS AND CRIMSON PEAK

Abstract

In venturing into the mysterious lands of Gothic literature and cinematic representations, this paper provides a comparative analysis between an enchanting dark fantasy novel and an alluring Gothic romance film. Rather than a traditional comparison between a book and its adaptation this paper focuses on exploring Gothic conventions in two distinct art forms. The first is represented by a hauntingly beautiful novel, written by Erin A. Craig, “House of Salt and Sorrows,” and the other one is a film directed by Guillermo del Toro, named “Crimson Peak,” which is a masterpiece in the world of Gothic films. This literary and cinematic analysis digs deeply into the Gothic aspects found in both the novel and the film and explores the complicated connections between Gothic motifs, symbols, atmospheres, and themes in the two forms. The decision to analyse these two works assumes that there are certain parallels between them, on the one hand, and that both creations incorporate many different features, on the other hand. Thus, the analysis has the potential to provide the readership and viewership with a broad understanding of the Gothic genre. The thesis is divided into five chapters. For the first chapter of my work, I have considered creating a brief presentation of the beginning of Gothic art, starting with the origin of the term, and focusing on a short historical overview of Gothic art forms: in architecture, sculpture, and painting. I have included this artistic area in my work because I believe it is appropriate to provide context for what Gothic art meant in the history of mankind, which is why the chapter is very concise. To better understand Gothic literature, especially Gothic novels, the term itself, the historical and cultural context the circumstances in which Gothic was born in literature and the way it was manifested over time must be understood. Precisely for this reason, the second chapter of my work focuses on the presentation of the history and development of the Gothic novel. Since the genre is extremely complex and very well represented by many authors, I chose to focus on the best-known authors who contributed to the popularisation of the Gothic novel and the characteristics they included in their writings. Of course, I cannot include all the authors, or all the novels written, because it would be impossible to make such a broad introduction to the Gothic novel, but I choose to present the fearful and uncertain beginnings, continuing with its glorious evolution in the following centuries. The scope of this chapter is to provide a basic overview of the Gothic novel. 6 While the second chapter portrays how the genre has developed in general, the third chapter emphasizes the development of the on-screen Gothic. Similarly to the first chapter, this chapter presents the historical background to the readership. As the chapter continues, some of the most prominent film studios, directors and their works are to be listed in chronological order. The same as in the case of the literary Gothic, it is not the point to list all the authors but to familiarize the readers with the period in which the genre began to develop, how it has developed over time, and who are some of the key directors of the time. The fourth chapter focuses on providing the readership with some basic information about the works and life of the author Erin A. Craig and the director Guillermo del Toro. Here, I will briefly discuss their lives and early careers, and I have selected a few of their written and directed works to present their characteristics and what sets them apart from others. Additionally, in this chapter, I have included the extended presentations of the novel and the film. The final chapter of my work, arguably the most important, consists of a comparative analysis between the book and the film regarding Gothic elements. I will begin the analysis with the setting and specific symbols, while also delving into the atmosphere and overall tone. Following this, I proceed with an examination of the archetypal characters, highlighting both the similarities and differences between them. A crucial point of discussion is represented by the supernatural force and the theme of death associated with violence and the motif of ‘blood’. I will dedicate a few paragraphs to other important Gothic motifs such as isolation, mental issues, nightmares, nature, and preference for the past. A rather complex part will consist of the analysis of the relationships between the characters of each story, relationships of love, hate, conjugal and family relationships, of course highlighting Gothic features. Considering that the chosen Gothic stories belong to two different fields, I feel compelled to include in this chapter a small analysis of the techniques of rendering the Gothic in literature and film.