Ann Radcliffe

The Mysteries of Udolpho

The Mysteries of Udolpho tells of Emily St. Aubert, who suffers, among other misadventures, the death of her mother and father, supernatural terrors in a gloomy castle and machinations of an Italian brigand.

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Produktbeschreibung

The Mysteries of Udolpho By Ann RadcliffeThe Mysteries of Udolpho, by Ann Radcliffe, appeared in four volumes on 8 May 1794 from G. G. and J. Robinson of London, which paid her £500 for the manuscript. Her fourth and most popular novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho tells of Emily St. Aubert, who suffers, among other misadventures, the death of her mother and father, supernatural terrors in a gloomy castle and machinations of an Italian brigand. Often cited as the archetypal Gothic novel, The Mysteries of Udolpho and Radcliffe's novel The Romance of the Forest play a prominent role in Jane Austen's novel Northanger Abbey, where an impressionable young woman reader comes to see her friends and acquaintances as Gothic villains and victims, with amusing results.The Mysteries of Udolpho is a quintessential Gothic romance, replete with incidents of physical and psychological terror remote, crumbling castles seemingly supernatural events a brooding, scheming villain and a persecuted heroine.Modern editors point out that only about one-third of the novel is set in the eponymous Gothic castle, and that the tone and style vary markedly between sections of the work. Radcliffe also added extensive descriptions of exotic landscapes in the Pyrenees and Apennines, and of Venice, none of which she had visitedand for details of which she relied on contemporary travel books, leading to the introduction of several anachronisms. Set in 1584 in southern France and northern Italy, the novel focuses on the plight of Emily St. Aubert, a young French woman who is orphaned after the death of her father. Emily suffers imprisonment in the castle Udolpho at the hands of Signor Montoni, an Italian brigand who has married her aunt and guardian Madame Cheron. Emily's romance with the dashing Valancourt is frustrated by Montoni and others. Emily also investigates the mysterious relationship between her father and the Marchioness de Villeroi, and its connection to the castle at Udolpho.Emily St. Aubert is the only child of a landed rural family whose fortunes are now in decline. Emily and her father share an especially close bond, due to their shared appreciation for nature. After her mother's death from a serious illness, Emily and her father grow even closer. She accompanies him on a journey from their native Gascony, through the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean coast of Roussillon, over many mountainous landscapes. During the journey, they encounter Valancourt, a handsome man who also feels an almost mystical kinship with the natural world. Emily and Valancourt quickly fall in love.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Les prairies numériques
• Seitenzahl: 610
• Erscheinungstermin: 27. November 2020
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 210mm x 148mm x 36mm
• Gewicht: 872g
• ISBN-13: 9782382745885
• ISBN-10: 2382745886
• Artikelnr.: 60791736

Autorenporträt

English novelist Ann Radcliffe (née Ward; 9 July 1764 - 7 February 1823) is credited with creating Gothic fiction. She was the only child of haberdasher William Ward and Ann Oates and was born in London. Young Radcliffe started writing, and she became well-known for her atmospheric, suspenseful books that mixed aspects of romance and horror. She wed writer and editor William Radcliffe in 1787. She achieved enormous popularity with her two well-known works, "The Mysteries of Udolpho" (1794) and "The Italian" (1797). Strong characters, frightening locations, and evocative descriptions were all hallmarks of Radcliffe's books. She received accolades for using psychological suspense rather than supernatural components to create a feeling of horror. While Radcliffe was alive, she was quite well-liked, but certain literary groups also had criticism for her. Her writings were criticized for being too romantic and sensational. Even yet, Radcliffe's books impacted the Gothic subgenre and provided authors like Jane Austen and Edgar Allan Poe with inspiration. Early in the 19th century, Radcliffe's writing career came to an end, and she had a tranquil life until her death in 1823. Even today, people acknowledge and appreciate her influence on literature and her role in the development of Gothic fiction