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Gothic Elements In Gothic Literature

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Extreme Violence and Horrific Nightmares Gothic literature uses wide ranging themes and gothic elements to convey its story. Gothic literature short stories can range from romance to horror to supernatural occurrences. Horacio Quiroga’s “The Feather Pillow,” Richard Matheson’s “Prey,” and Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” all incorporate the following gothic elements: violence, revenge, hallucinations, nightmares, and psychological issues. Horacio Quiroga's gothic romantic story “The Feather Pillow,” and other works such as Richard Matheson’s “Prey” and Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” all encompass the reoccurring theme of psychological issues. In “The Feather Pillow,” Quiroga illustrates the balance between life and death and a healthy versus tainted relationship. Alicia is mentally and physically destroyed by her marriage to Jordan. When Alicia is bedridden with an incurable disease, the nightmares and hallucinations slowly begin. One night while she was sleeping she was suddenly awoke and “her staring she was suddenly transfixed. After a while she opens her mouth to scream and her nostrils and lips were headed with sweat” (Quiroga 1). This continued to happen to Alicia. The parasite was sucking the life out of her. After being sick for some time, “Alicia began to hallucinate. The visions were confused and floating to start with and then came to ground level” (Quiroga 1). The psychological issues and hallucinations suddenly became worse. In Richard Matheson’s gothic

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