Gothic Fiction & Victorian England

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Gothic Fiction: Characters

Gothic fiction boasts several different types of characters:

Heroes

After being the villain, Scrooge transforms into the hero.

Angels

Fan, who Scrooge loved but she died before her time.

Ghosts

Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to Come.

Persecuted women

Belle, who suffers because Scrooge becomes too greedy.

Gothic Fiction in Victorian England

In Victorian England, Gothic fiction set in an urban area became very popular, especially novels set in London. Before this era, Gothic novels were generally set in the countryside or somewhere else very isolated.

Gothic features

Therefore, readers would be drawn into this novella – it contains all the staple features of popular Victorian gothic fiction, including being set in bustling London.

Rich helping poor

It also tells a controversial tale of the rich helping the poor:
- The devoutly Christian readers of Victorian England may have liked this novella because the moral of the story reminds them to be kind and compassionate to the less fortunate at Christmas time.
- But, Victorian readers may have disliked elements of the story as it was published during a time of high poverty and, therefore, high taxation on the richer people – the middle and upper classes already felt that they should not be required to give money to support the ‘lazy’ lower classes.

1Plot Summary

1.1Plot Summary

1.1.1Outline

1.1.2Introducing Scrooge & Marley

1.1.3Stave 1

1.1.4Stave 2

1.1.5Stave 3

1.1.6End of Topic Test - Staves 1-3

1.1.7Stave 4

1.1.8Stave 5

1.1.9End of Topic Test - Staves 4-5

2Key Characters & Quotes

2.1Ebenezer Scrooge

2.1.1Outline & Stave 1

2.1.2Stave 2

2.1.3Stave 3

2.1.4Stave 4

2.1.5Stave 5 & Key Quotes

2.1.6End of Topic Test - Ebeneezer Scrooge

2.2Other Characters

2.2.1Bob Cratchit

2.2.2Tiny Tim

2.2.3Fred

2.2.4The Ghosts Pt 1

2.2.5The Ghosts Pt 2

2.2.6End of Topic Test - Other Characters

2.3Grade 9 - Key Characters

2.3.1Grade 9 - Key Characters

2.3.2Grade 9 - Extract Analysis

3Key Ideas

3.1Key Ideas

3.1.1Inequality, Ignorance & Want

3.1.2Duality, Family & Love

3.1.3Christianity & Redemption

3.1.4End of Topic Test - Key Ideas

3.1.5Grade 9 - Key Themes

4Context

4.1Context

4.1.1Dickens & Victorian England

4.1.2Poverty & Victorian Christmas

4.1.3Exam-Style Questions - Poverty

4.1.4Gothic Fiction

4.1.5Gothic Fiction & Victorian England

4.1.6End of Topic Test - Context

5Authorial Method

5.1Structure & Techniques

5.1.1Structure & Time

5.1.2Time Frame & Pace

5.1.3Narrative Voice & Tone

5.1.4Settings, Similes & Metaphors

5.1.5End of Topic Test - Authorial Method

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