The uncanny

Definition

The uncanny refers to a psychological experience where something is strangely familiar yet foreign, causing feelings of unease or discomfort. It often manifests in literature and art through the blurring of reality and the supernatural, evoking a sense of dread and intrigue. This term connects deeply with themes of the supernatural, Gothic elements, and the emotional responses elicited by the Romantic movement.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The uncanny can create a disconnection between what is real and what is imagined, often leaving readers questioning their perceptions.
2. Sigmund Freud's essay 'The Uncanny' discusses how familiar objects or experiences can evoke feelings of fear when they are seen in a new light.
3. In Gothic literature, the uncanny often emerges through haunted settings, doppelgängers, or the return of the repressed, reinforcing themes of psychological horror.
4. The use of the uncanny can heighten emotional responses in Romantic works, as characters confront their inner fears and anxieties.
5. Authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Mary Shelley effectively employed elements of the uncanny to challenge societal norms and explore human psychology.

Review Questions

• How does the concept of the uncanny relate to the themes of fear and familiarity in Gothic literature?
  • The uncanny blends fear and familiarity in Gothic literature by presenting ordinary objects or scenarios that become unsettling through eerie transformations. For instance, a once-comforting home might turn into a place of horror when it reveals hidden secrets. This juxtaposition creates an atmosphere where characters face their deepest fears while grappling with their own psychological states, amplifying the tension inherent in Gothic narratives.
• Discuss how Romantic writers utilized the uncanny to express emotional depth and conflict in their characters.
  • Romantic writers often harnessed the uncanny to delve into their characters' emotional struggles and inner turmoil. By portraying familiar experiences as eerie or unsettling, authors like Mary Shelley captured the conflict between rationality and the supernatural. This technique allowed for an exploration of complex human emotions—fear, desire, and existential dread—creating rich narratives that resonate with readers on both psychological and philosophical levels.
• Evaluate the role of the uncanny in shaping Victorian literature's response to societal changes during its time.
  • The uncanny played a significant role in Victorian literature as it mirrored societal anxieties surrounding industrialization, urbanization, and shifting moral values. Authors like Bram Stoker used uncanny elements to reflect fears about identity and otherness in rapidly changing environments. By engaging with the uncanny, Victorian writers critiqued contemporary issues while allowing readers to confront their own discomfort with modernity, resulting in narratives that resonate with both historical context and psychological depth.

Related terms

Eerie: A quality that inspires uneasiness or fear, often associated with mysterious or supernatural occurrences.

Abject: A concept from psychoanalysis describing a state of being cast off or rejected, often relating to feelings of disgust or horror.

Intertextuality: The relationship between texts and how they reference or influence each other, which is significant in understanding themes like the uncanny in literature.