Gender and Feminism: A Gothic Perspective on Nature, Madness, and Patriarchal Op-pression

Abstract

Gothic literature has long functioned as a powerful medium for exposing the hidden anxie-ties and structural inequalities of society, particularly those related to gender and power. From a feminist perspective, Gothic narratives reveal how women’s bodies, minds, and iden-tities are shaped—and often distorted—by patriarchal oppression. This paper examines the intersection of gender, nature, and madness in Gothic literature, arguing that madness fre-quently emerges as a consequence of patriarchal confinement, while nature serves as both a space of repression and resistance. Through a feminist Gothic lens, the study analyses how female characters are silenced, imprisoned, and psychologically destabilised within male-dominated social structures. Texts such as Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, and The Yellow Wallpaper demonstrate how Gothic literature critiques patriarchal authority by aligning women with natural spaces and emotional excess. The paper ultimately argues that Gothic madness is not inherent female weakness but a socially produced response to systematic op-pression.