Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 PhD Student, English Language and Literature, Faculty of Literature, Humanities, and Social Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 Ph.D,Department of English Language, Ar.C., Islamic Azad University,, Arak ,Iran
3 Ph.D,Department of English Language, , Islamic Azad University,, «Karaj ,,Iran
Abstract
This research investigates the philosophical intersection between Baruch Spinoza’s “Ethics of Joy” and the aesthetics of the sublime in Ann Radcliffe’s Gothic novels. It posits that Spinoza’s conception of joy—defined as a transition from passivity to activity and an increase in “ontological power”—provides a critical framework for understanding how Radcliffe’s characters engage with nature and music. While the Gothic sublime is traditionally associated with terror and the dissolution of the subject, this study argues that Radcliffe reconfigures this experience into one of “epistemic liberation.”Through the lens of Spinozist thought, the sublime in Radcliffe’s work is not a source of mere dread, but a transformative encounter that facilitates a connection to the totality of existence (Substance). By navigating through overwhelming natural landscapes and profound musical experiences in her novels , characters undergo a movement from the terror of the unknown toward a rational understanding of nature’s hidden order.This process mirrors Spinoza’s path to perfection, where the transition from passive affects (fear)to active understanding (joy) is achieved through intellectual intuition. Ultimately, the study suggests that music and nature affect the characters and act as metaphysical mediators, resolving internal conflicts and guiding characters toward a state of lasting harmony, peace, and Spinozistic joy.
Keywords
- Keywords:Epistemic Liberation , Ontological power, aesthetics of sublime, , Spinoza'
- s Ethics of Joy , intellectual intuition
Main Subjects
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