Sheridan, Joseph Carmilla by Le Fanu is a gothic horror novel that has drawn much literary criticism. Le Fanu’s use of literary devices to evoke a sense of tension and anxiety is one area that has drawn criticism. To analyze how Le Fanu employs language to elicit feelings of unease and dread in the reader, I will close read the text used in this essay. I argue that Carmilla is a triumphant work of gothic horror because of Le Fanu’s deft use of literary tropes.
Le Fanu employs several techniques to make Carmilla feel anxious and uneasy. One of these tactics he uses is foreshadowing. For example, early in the poem, Carmilla assures Laura, “I am here to see you, my Child…and very soon too” (Le Fanu 8). After reading this, the reader gets uneasy because, even though we know something terrible is about to happen, we do not yet know what it will be. Countless instances of foreshadowing allude to the tragedy to come throughout the book. For example, Laura remarks early on in the book that Carmilla has a “weird and baffling eye” and always seems to be observing her. This gives the impression that Carmilla is not entirely herself and might even be dangerous. The foreshadowing becomes even more evident later as Laura and Carmilla develop a closer relationship. Laura observes that Carmilla never seems to eat or drink anything and that her teeth are abnormally sharp. These specifics let readers understand that something nefarious is happening by increasing the tension and sense of fear. In the end, Le Fanu’s foreshadowing effectively generates a sense of dread and anticipation. He creates a sense of dread that culminates in a genuinely terrifying conclusion by subtly teasing what will come.
In the book Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, the author employs the contrast of light and darkness to evoke a sense of suspense and dread. Carmilla is a vampire in the tale that preys on young girls. She is frequently characterized as mysterious and gloomy, and most of her attire is black. The author used light and darkness to contrast Carmilla’s appearance and evoke suspense. This makes her appear to be a menacing, evil figure (Schab 20). Carmilla is later described as shrouded in darkness as she prepares to attack one of the main characters, Laura: “Carmilla was bending over the bed… Her long black hair fell over her pale face and obscured it.” The contrast of light and darkness to describe Carmilla’s appearance builds suspense and fear throughout the story.
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, the author of Carmilla, exploits the contrast of light and darkness to evoke a sense of suspense and dread. He keeps the reader guessing what will happen next by switching between scenes in bright sunlight and those in dark caves or at night. He can play with the contrast between the two settings with this technique, making the dark areas appear even more ominous. Le Fanu also frequently employs light and darkness to represent his novel’s good and evil characters, heightening the tension. It is no secret that listening to music can cause specific feelings in the audience. This is especially true when it comes to music that evokes suspense and anxiety because it can make listeners uneasy and tense. In Carmilla, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu skillfully employs ominous music to infuse the story with tension and unease. The music heightens the sense of dread and foreboding prevalent in the novel from the very first chapter, where we hear a menacing choir singing in the background as Carmilla seduces Laura, to the final chapters, where Carmilla’s victims can be heard screaming in despair. It works wonders in evoking a sense of unease and terror.
There are times when non-diegetic music is effectively used, even if diegetic music makes up the majority of the suspenseful music in Carmilla. Near the book’s conclusion, when Dr. Hesselius finally confronts Carmilla, there is one such case. A sudden burst of non-diegetic music punctuates the scene as Carmilla prepares to attack Hesselius, heightening the tension and terrifying the audience. One of the many ways Le Fanu uses his book to evoke unease and dread is through suspenseful music. By employing this technique, he allows readers to experience the full horror of Carmilla’s story. A typical literary approach for raising the stakes and anxiety in a story is using red herrings. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu frequently uses red herrings in Carmilla to keep the reader on edge. As an illustration, Laura is startled by a disturbance outside her window early in the book. She is instantly terrified as she notices a shadowy creature hiding there. The figure is just a cat, though, it turns out. This harmless creature misleads the reader and Laura into thinking something more evil is pursuing them.
Additionally, when Carmilla initially appears in the novel’s opening pages, she seems like a sweet young lady. She is a vampire preying on the protagonist, Laura, which becomes evident as the plot develops (Ryba 16). Laura and the reader are shocked by this revelation, which heightens the tension and unease in the story. Similarly, there are numerous instances throughout the level where it appears that Carmilla is about to be discovered or exposed. However, she consistently escapes unnoticed, heightening the tension and terror. Also, In Carmilla, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu uses red herrings to significant effect, evoking a sense of stress and anxiety in the reader. Le Fanu expertly keeps them guessing what is happening by planting false clues. This keeps the reader engaged and creates a feeling of unease.
The narrative centers on a young woman named Laura who receives a visit from a vampire named Carmilla while vacationing in an Austrian castle. Laura is preyed upon by Carmilla, who weakens and illens her by drinking her blood. As the plot develops, Laura understands that Carmilla’s bloodlust has also attacked other young ladies in the neighborhood. While they attempt to understand Carmilla’s reasons and prevent her from hurting anybody else, the characters in the book cause the reader to feel tension and fear. The fact that Carmilla seems to arrive out of nowhere and that Laura is unsure of how she entered the castle is what first raises the stakes. Carmilla becomes more menacing and mysterious due to her anonymity.
Carmilla also exhibits inconsistent behavior; one second, she is kind and lovely to Laura, and the next, she is biting her neck and guzzling blood. This ambiguity makes it challenging for Laura (and the reader) to guess what Carmilla will do next, heightening the tension. Another important character in building tension is Laura. She continually worries about her safety because Carmilla is targeting her. Because they do not know what will happen to Laura next, this causes readers to get apprehensive. Also, throughout the book, Madame Perrodon’s cautions about Carmilla create a dread (Thompson 13). She gives readers the impression that something negative is about to occur, heightening the suspense and anxiety experienced while reading the novel.
The story takes place in a remote castle in Hungary where Laura and Carmilla, two young women, become friends. Their mutual openness increases as their friendship does. They even share a bed in addition to their secrets and confidantes. Nevertheless, as their closeness deepens, so does the dread and trepidation. We start to realize that not everything about Carmilla is as it seems. The book contains multiple instances where Carmilla’s true nature is revealed, and Laura is presented with a frightening or mysterious situation each time.
Carmilla tries to bite Laura’s neck in one scene, while she appears to change into a bat right before Laura’s eyes in another. Because these scenes go against what we believe should be possible between two people who have gotten so close, they are unsettling. Additionally, they make us wonder how well we truly know the people who are closest to us. Openness between the individuals ultimately results in disaster and adds to the book’s tension and terror. We are compelled to confront our apprehensions about intimacy and trust through their relationship.
Works Cited
Le Fanu, Joseph Sheridan. Carmilla: The Dark Blue. (1872). Accessed on 23rd March 2023.
Schab, Gabriela. “Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and the evolution of the literary vampire.” (2022). Accessed on 23rd March 2023.
Ryba, Karolina. “”Girls are caterpillars while they live in the world”: Symbolism of the Female Vampire in Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla.” (2022). Accessed on 23rd March 2023.
Thompson, Matthew. “Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, Aoife Mary Dempsey (2022).” Australasian Journal of Popular Culture 11 (2022). Accessed on 23rd March 2023.
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