Abstract: William Faulkner, the Nobel-prize winner for literature in 1950, is one of the most representative novelists in modern American literature. A Rose for Emily is the masterpiece of his short stories, which fully reflects the Gothic elements as well as Faulkner’s Gothic writing skills. This paper aims to explore the Gothic elements in A Rose for Emily, which first discusses the characteristics in Gothic fictions from the macroscopic perspective. Then, The paper analyzes the Gothic elements in A Rose for Emily in details under the context of Emily’s whole tragic life. Finally the paper displays the artistic charm of the Gothic novel A Rose for Emily which fully reflects the social contradictions in the southern part of the United States during the 19th century.

Key words: A Rose for Emily; Gothic elements; Gothic novel

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要：

1. Introduction1

1.1 William Faulkner

1.2 A Rose for Emily

1.3 Gothic Novels

2. Literature Review3

3. Gothic Elements in A Rose for Emily3

3.1 The Plot of Terror

3.1.1 Violence

3.1.2 Murder

3.1.3 Heroic Characterization

 3.2 The Dominant Keynote of Death

3.2.1 The Death of Emily’s Father

3.2.2 The Death of Homer

3.2.3 The Death of Emily

 3.3 The Grotesque Characters

3.3.1 Emily

3.3.2 Toby

 3.4 The Atmosphere of Mystery

3.4.1 The Scene of the Novel

3.4.2 The Creation of the Suspenseful Atmosphere

4. Conclusion.9

Bibliography.11

Acknowledgments12