Page "Gothic fiction" Paragraph 3

His declared aim was to combine elements of the medieval romance, which he deemed too fanciful, and the modern novel, which he considered to be too confined to strict realism.

The basic plot created many other Gothic staples, including a threatening mystery and an ancestral curse, as well as countless trappings such as hidden passages and oft-fainting heroines.

The first edition was published disguised as an actual medieval romance from Italy discovered and republished by a fictitious translator.

When Walpole admitted to his authorship in the second edition, its originally favourable reception by literary reviewers changed into rejection.

The romance, usually held in contempt by the educated as a tawdry and debased kind of writing, had only recently been made respectable by the works of Richardson and Fielding.

A romance with superstitious elements, and moreover void of didactical intention, was considered a setback and not acceptable as a modern production.

Walpole's forgery, together with the blend of history and fiction that was contravening the principles of the Enlightenment, brought about the Gothic novel's association with fake documentation.