Abstract
The concepts of terror and horror are key factors in the Fantastic and Gothic novel. This literary genre appeared with Walpole's The Castle of Otranto in 1765 and then flourished until 1830; it mainly developed during the historical period of the Enlightenment and can be seen as an alternative to the predominance of the aesthetics of probability, rationalism and utility, trying to expend imagination. The uncertain terrors in the books make the reader an active participant, like the characters, trying to understand unbelievable facts.
We often confuse the two terms of terror and horror, because they are often linked; but there are subtle differences between these two states, and that is the reason why we have first of all to define these two words before analysing their role in the three novels.Terror is characterised by obscurity, it can be defined as an overpowering fear, a feeling of dread and anticipation that usually occurs before something frightening is seen or experienced. It is a mental state. Horror is an intense and painful feeling of repugnance or dislike, with the idea of a shock when one faces something horrible, a displays of atrocity; we often talk about horror when the dreadful experience has already occurred. It refers to more physical effects of fears. To further analyse the role of these psychological modes in the novels, I will put The Castle of Otranto, Frankenstein and Dracula in relationship with one another.
