From the statements given below, what is true about the Gothic
Novel?

A. It appeared in 14th Century American Literature.
B. It often uses the medieval form of architecture as setting.
C. It is a form of baroque art.
D. It represents a style of mosaic and fresco wall painting.
E. It aims at evoking chilling terror by exploiting mystery
and a variety of horrors.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

The correct answer is B and E only.

To understand why this option is correct, let us analyze each of the given statements about the Gothic Novel:

• Statement A ("It appeared in 14th Century American Literature") is incorrect. The Gothic novel is a literary genre that originated in England during the second half of the 18th century, starting with Horace Walpole's The Castle of Otranto (1764). American literature did not exist in the 14th century.
• Statement B ("It often uses the medieval form of architecture as setting") is correct. The term "Gothic" directly references medieval architecture. Gothic novels are famously set in gloomy, medieval structures such as castles, ruined abbeys, monasteries, and dungeons, which help establish a dark and mysterious atmosphere.
• Statement C ("It is a form of baroque art") is incorrect. Gothic literature is associated with the Romantic movement and medievalism, which is historically and stylistically distinct from the Baroque art movement that dominated Europe in the 17th and early 18th centuries.
• Statement D ("It represents a style of mosaic and fresco wall painting") is incorrect. The Gothic novel is a prose literary genre, not a medium of visual wall painting.
• Statement E ("It aims at evoking chilling terror by exploiting mystery and a variety of horrors") is correct. The defining feature of Gothic fiction is its focus on evoking intense emotions of fear, suspense, dread, and horror through the use of supernatural occurrences, dark secrets, and mysterious settings.

Since only statements B and E are true, the correct option is B and E only.