Howard Philips Lovecraft is considered one of the most influential horror writers in
literature, and since studies focusing on the author are already common, it
might
be
interesting to take a literary approach. The aim of this
dissertation
is to point out how
different archetypes of both traditional and North American Gothic literature influenced
and/or are represented in his novel
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward(1941).
In order to
give some context,
we will
first
delve into the author's life and
the
nature of his work.
Then, we will provide a thorough and extensive typology of the most common tropes in
both
of the aforementioned
Gothic
traditions, quoting several examples from
different
well-known Gothic works.
With said archetypes clarified,
we will scrutinize
in detail
their presence on this specific novel as they appear in the plot, which will be divided in
three narrative
arcs,
as well as how
these Gothic tropes
are portrayed and what
their role
is
in the development of the story.
Lastly, a conclusion will be presented underlining the
major
relevance of Gothic archetypes in
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward
