Strange Beauties: Utopia, Dystopia, and Gothic Fiction

Abstract

The fictional space in gothic tales is not only enveloped in mystery but also directed by forces wicked enough to excite the deepest fear in its inhabitants and readers alike. For a gothic heroine, she feels like a fish out of water and enters into experiences beyond her understanding in so uncongenial an atmosphere. To survive the animosity of her enemies, she has to embark on a journey of finding the 'good' place. From this perspective, gothic stories appear to include two conflicting worlds: the world that the protagonists are trapped in (dystopia) and the ideal society that they search for (utopia). To uncover the utopian strain in gothic literature, this project will draw on various definitions of utopia and examine how they engage with each other through the gothic mode. By looking into the works of Horace Walpole, Matthew Lewis, and Ann Radcliffe, I intend to see how the concept of utopia is employed to construct an ideal society in the gothic context. I will also interpret the power shifts between gothic antagonists and protagonists as a struggle between two visions of social dreaming. In terms of narrative strategies, themes, and images, the Gothic is an adaptation, if not a distortion, of utopian practices. Gothic buildings represent the dark side of utopias, those designed by 'architects' who insist on perfection and totality. On the other hand, what gothic heroines celebrate is the desire to change for the better and a utopian enclave built on that aspiration. In fact, such dichotomy also illustrates Thomas Hobbes and John Locke's conflicting views toward the hierarchy of sovereignty and an individual's Natural Right. To conclude this thesis, I would further suggest that the gothic world carries the spirit of 'critical dystopia', the existence of which preaches the importance of staying hopeful and taking action for reform, even in the darkest hours.