“CONSTANCE, RICHARD PLANTAGENET E AMANITA PHALLOIDES”: O GÓTICO FEMININO EM SEMPRE VIVEMOS NO CASTELO (1962), DE SHIRLEY JACKSON

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyze the representation of feminine identity in Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1962) under the perspective of gender conventions in the context of the female gothic. The analysis is based on qualitative literature-based research that addresses concepts related to gender, patriarchy, power, gothic literature, and to the ambiguity of characters, such as violence, madness, manichaean representations of women, and the figure of the anti-hero. The study focuses on investigating how the novel fits into the conventions of female gothic and how it challenges gender norms in this context. This involves an analysis of the characters, the domestic space, and how these elements contribute to the construction of feminine identity in the narrative. Additionally, the research explores how the novel deals with issues of power, especially regarding gender relations and the role of women in society. Elements of violence and madness in the narrative are also examined, as well as the manichaean representations of female characters, who are often portrayed either as heroines or villains in a simplistic manner. Throughout the analysis, the aim is to understand how Shirley Jackson's work becomes fertile ground for the exploration of gender and feminine identity issues. The novel serves as a valuable starting point for this investigation due to its rich complexity and how it challenges conventional expectations regarding female characters.