"Ruins" and "Barbara" Blog

The "Ruins" and the "Barbara" were very gothic in many different ways. Some characteristics of the gothic are darkness, supernatural, seduction, evil people, being trapped by the past and resistance. Both of these stories had many of these qualities. "Ruins" had the characteristics of the supernatural, darkness, seduction, evil people and resistance. These showed up in the plot with the lady coming back as a supernatural being, Uplandtower being the evil man who seduces, the resistance of the lady to the normal expectations of women from that time and just the overall dark feeling that the situations and events provide. "Barbara" was also very gothic in a sense that it had a maiden in distress, seduction, and resistance. These showed up with Barbara being a maiden in distress stuck between two lovers, seduction by the men to try and court her and the resistance to the normal expectations of a women of that time shows up as well. All of these characteristics are what make these two stories very gothic.