Ruins...

The tropes in a gothic tale throughout the 18th century had become extremely discernible as more gothic novels had started to be written. That also goes for "The Ruins of the Abbey-Fitzmartin" also. When reading this book, I was able to spot quite a few common trope that were wildly popular during the time.

In one instance, it is noted that Anna was to wed a terrible man who she feared. As we learned in class, this was a legitimate fear of the women in the 18th century. They feared being with a man who could be lethal to them, on top of not being able to marry someone they truly love. That was another fear that was tied into this story-- Anna had to marry this complete stranger while she loved someone else.

Another fear that was addressed in "The Ruins..." was darkness. In every Gothic tale, darkness is used as a way to build suspense and really strike fear into the readers. As in the 18th century, darkness was a common fear among people, along with storms. When it was dark, that was it. The only means of light were through candlelight, which was barely effective. Along with storms, which scared the ever living hell out of people. These were some very common tropes that could be found when reading "The Ruins of the Abbey-Fitzmartin."

What really brings all of these tropes together is how the author leads the readers to deal with them. People always like to have some kind of push to get over any and all fears they have, and what better way to get it than through an author? Someone who is obviously educated in the art of word? In the end, the author uses supernatural forces and other means to "defeat" the terrible power of the story, allowing the good guys to come out victorious. This will allow the readers to think that if they want to overcome fears and stand up for themselves, they need to do what's right and they too will be victorious.