Evaluation of Gothic Presentation in Dickens’sGreat Expectations

Abstract

Dickens’sGreat Expectationsshows his mastery over handling the subject matter of gothic in a highly influential manner. He was drawn to it by the mere fascination of the ugly and perverse, by the opportunities it gives to a writer for exploiting the theme of sensationalism, mystery,suspense, terror, horror, doubleness and fantasy. By showing these features Dickens tries to show the society riddled with crime, guilt, greed, decay, corruption and evil. While handling the theme of gothic, Dickens did not use any supernatural elements like ghosts, vampires, monsters etc. He concentrates on human psyche where horror, fear, terror etc. lurks inside human mind.