... own brother, the monk, Ambrosio. She is not saved by the hero Lorenzo, instead she dies, Lewis" use of bathos and anti-climax at this point is shocking even to the typical Gothic reader. Gothic heroines, particularly Radcliffian ones, are quite contradictory in their actions and implications. They seem to divide neatly into sprightly and helpless, those who pick up a candle and go exploring ... in the hidden recesses and those who cower fearfully behind doors). Yet, as Edith Birkhead remarks, "Mrs Radcliffe's heroines resemble nothing more than a composite photograph in which all distin...

• Word Count: 2147
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate