Traditional Gothic features were originally exemplified by Horace Walpole's Castle of Otranto. This text was the first novel of its kind to introduce an atmosphere full of suspense, ancient prophecies and metonymy of horror. Novels and short stories often revisit the same elements when creating a Gothic tale, but they can also use other features to create the same essence of Otranto Castle. Edgar Allen Poe's The Black Cat uses an abundance of adjectives to set a dark scene, but it also uses the narrator's emotional distress and supernatural curiosity to structure the gothic tale. Edgar Allen Poe is widely known for creating some of the greatest Gothic lyrics, but he also has very distinct characteristics throughout his work, modeling himself on Walpole, but also creating a standard for future lyrics. Most of Poe's works are easily identifiable as Gothic due to the theme of death and decay, although this is not always the theme represented by the story until later in the work. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay "The Black Cat" as an Example of Gothic Literature In The Black Cat it is evident that death is a common topic, but the beginning is mostly an internal struggle within the narrator. As a writer, Edgar Allen Poe must create deep characters, which increase the suspense of the story. In response, most of his characters have some sort of mental illness, or eventually go insane. When reading from the narrator's point of view, readers are concerned about the mental state of the person telling the story, but sometimes forget the context of the story being told. In the opening of The Black Cat the narrator says "Yet, mad am I not" early proclaiming his state of mind, allowing the reader to look deeper into his character, but forgetting the setting of the scene given on the very same page. The opening also tells readers that the narrator is telling this story the day before his execution, allowing readers to try to create a story before the narrator elaborates on his confession. He says that he married young and that his "nature is not uncongenial to mine", he jokes about how his wife made him happy, but would later literally be the hand of his unhappy destiny. It is quite apparent early on, after stating that recent family events have presented the narrator with horror, that this is a gothic text, but with some telling elements missing such as a castle. Continuing the story, Poe's black cat character called Pluto, is introduced and builds a foundation of previous events. Looking at Pluto analytically, Pluto is the Roman god of the underworld, which makes sense because this creates that theme that is always present in Gothic texts, but not yet hinted at in The Black Cat; death. This theme is not outwardly stated, but it had to be interpreted when introduced to this character so early. Death is a theme made apparent later in the text, but is often presented in Gothic texts. When the narrator finally kills Pluto, the connection between his name and his destiny is presented, when he “reappears” as an apparition in the fire. If the cat Pluto is represented as a god, then it can be assumed that he can be reincarnated to terrorize the narrator who killed him. Poe chooses to keep the theme of death hidden to add suspense and a more iconic ending, although it is usually introduced at the beginning. In the following scenes the narrator, still not obviously mentally ill, begins to illustrate his.