Observation

This question requires the candidates to discuss three elements that characterize a gothic novel, found in the novel.

Candidates were expected to discuss the following:

• Statement of the themes of love and vengeance, marriage, property ownership, etc
• Definition/Explanation of ‘gothic’: a gothic novel is one that covers horror, death and or sometimes romance. Its characteristics are death and decay, haunted homes, gothic architecture, darkness, madness, powerful love, family curses, vampires and mystery

• Gothic setting of the novel: Wuthering Heights particularly has gothic features (its architecture and its solitary occupant; unnatural things happen; for example, the ghost of Catherine Linton visits the Heights on the night of Lockwood’s visit when he has to spend the night; Catherine’s ghost beseeches Lockwood to let her in.
• Mystery and love: Romantic love between some lovers depicts the gothic, for example, the unusual love between Catherine and Heathcliff, which endures even after Catherine dies.
• The implications of the gothic: The reader is kept bonded to the novel by gothic suspense

Candidates’ performance was average.

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