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TRICKSTERISM IN THE GOTHIC NOVEL

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From: The American Journal of Semiotics
Date: 19970101
Author:Scott Simpkins

Within the signifying system of the Gothic novel, the act of revealing or explaining secret plans, identities, or previously mystifying occurrences is a prominent component that, in fact, is usually considered characteristic of the genre itself. Indeed, in the case of Ann Radcliffe's novels, this becomes a source of common complaint, since she feels compelled to explain away those elements that had earlier titillated her readers. Or, similarly, Emily Bronte creates a seriously harrowing apparition-the ghost of a nun-in her novel, Villette, only to reveal later on that it was simply someone in ...

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