Sir Walter Scott is probably best remembered as the author of IVANHOE, a medieval novel that helped solidify him as the originator of what came to be known as historical fiction. Like many authors in the 19th Century, he tried his hand at a ghost story published for a Christmastime literary annual – in this case called The Keepsake, and that story is “The Tapestried Chamber,” believed by many scholars to be the first “modern” ghost story, published in 1828.

The common definition of Gothic in literature is connected with horror and darkness. The “machinery‟ of Gothic novels includes terror, mystery, the supernatural, death, decay, old haunted buildings, madness, and hereditary curses. The narrative contains castles, abbeys, and dark passages in order to create a feeling of horror in the reader. Nature is an important part of the setting: a leafy wood, ivy covering the walls of a castle, storms, and a full moon are clear examples. In conclusion, a wide range of elements is employed to create a feeling of terror in the reader.

“The Tapestried Chamber” by Sir Walter Scott…we begin....