Early Gothic novels, such as 'The Castle of Otranto' or 'The Mysteries of Udolpho', typically utilized exotic, continental European settings (often Italy or Spain) to distance the reader from the familiar. Charlotte Brontë’s 'Jane Eyre' subverts this by placing the Gothic mystery within a domestic, contemporary English setting, thereby grounding the supernatural and psychological dread in the reality of Victorian life.

Ann Radcliffe is famous for her technique of the 'explained supernatural.' Unlike Walpole, who introduced genuine supernatural events into his narratives, Radcliffe typically provided rational, naturalistic explanations for seemingly ghostly or terrifying occurrences by the end of her novels. This approach allowed her to maintain suspense and evoke terror while adhering to the rationalist sensibilities of her contemporary audience.

The Gothic genre is fundamentally defined by its exploration of the irrational, the supernatural, and the transgressive, all of which stand in direct opposition to the Enlightenment values of 'Reason.' While Gothic narratives may feature characters who attempt to use logic, the genre itself thrives on the failure of reason to explain or contain the mysterious, the horrific, and the sublime. Therefore, reason is the antithesis of the Gothic atmosphere.

Emile Zola was a French novelist and the most prominent practitioner of the literary school of naturalism. He is best known for his massive 20-novel series, 'Les Rougon-Macquart', which depicts the natural and social history of a family during the Second French Empire.

The term 'Gothic' derives from the Goths, a confederation of Germanic tribes who played a significant role in the migration period and the eventual fall of the Western Roman Empire. While the term later evolved to describe a specific architectural style and a literary genre, its primary historical root refers to these specific tribal groups.

Critics widely interpret 'Frankenstein' as a seminal work exploring the ethical implications of scientific advancement and the hubris of the creator. It examines the consequences of playing God, the responsibility of the creator toward the created, and the alienation of the individual from society. By focusing on Victor Frankenstein's pursuit of forbidden knowledge, the novel serves as a cautionary tale regarding the unchecked power of science and its potential to dehumanize and destroy humanity.

Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' is deeply embedded in late-Victorian anxieties, including the fear of reverse colonization (imperialism), shifting gender roles (the Woman Question), and the implications of biological degeneration (Darwinism). However, the novel does not engage with the socio-economic concerns of the working class or the rise of labor unions, which were distinct political issues of the time not central to Stoker's Gothic narrative.

The Enlightenment prioritized reason, empirical evidence, and secular progress. Walpole's 'The Castle of Otranto' challenged these values by reintroducing the supernatural, the irrational, and the medieval aesthetic. By reviving archaic forms of storytelling and focusing on terror rather than logic, the novel signaled a deliberate departure from the rationalist constraints of the contemporary Enlightenment intellectual climate.

The 'explained supernatural' is a hallmark of the Radcliffean Gothic, where seemingly paranormal events are eventually revealed to have rational, mundane causes. The 'uncanny' (unheimlich), as theorized by Freud, involves the unsettling experience of the familiar becoming strange or the strange becoming familiar. This psychological tension between rational explanation and irrational fear is central to how Gothic narratives navigate the boundary between the known and the unknown.

Gothic literature relies heavily on atmospheric settings that evoke dread, confinement, and mystery, typically characterized by darkness, shadows, and claustrophobic spaces. While the bars, isolation, and locked door contribute to the Gothic sense of imprisonment, the presence of ample sunlight provides a sense of clarity and openness that contradicts the traditional, gloomy, and oppressive Gothic aesthetic typically found in such narratives.