"The Ghostly Angel in the Haunted Home: The Haunted House as a Metaphor" by Andrea I. Amado-Fajardo

Abstract

Crimson Peak (2015, dir. Guillermo del Toro), often overshadowed by del Toro's more critically acclaimed filmography, deserves to be acknowledged for its central trauma metaphor and its nuanced approach to gender. Far from being merely a horror movie fueled by disturbing sequences such as those found in contemporary supernatural horror films, Crimson Peak slowly unravels how Allerdale Hall parallels the film's female leads as they house and live with ghosts, revenants of a traumatic past. This essay explores the personification of the haunted house as a metaphor for the personified trauma that resides in a woman's body using Crimson Peak as a reference point. The impact of trauma in Crimson Peak will be examined through the lens of hauntology. Following this examination will be an analysis of Crimson Peak's narrative and visuals as a depiction of trauma via haunting, identifying the connections between different spaces of the house as metaphors for trauma. Edith's submission and triumph over Lucille and the representation of patriarchal order will be explored to understand how she is able to overcome the haunting of Allerdale Hall and, by extension, the trauma endured in the female body.

Degree

MA

College and Department

Humanities; Spanish and Portuguese

Rights

https://lib.byu.edu/about/copyright/

Date Submitted

2024-12-20

Document Type

Thesis

Handle

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/etd13469

Keywords

haunting, haunted houses, trauma, hauntology, horror film analysis

Language

english

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