The isolated west coast of Ireland, with its ancient dolmens and megaliths, great cliffs of black sandstone, dark coastline, killing sea, dangerous bogs, caves, and underground rivers, provides the compelling setting of
The Unicorn. Although Iris Murdoch eschews the term Gothic novel as being too narrow, five of her novels strongly emphasize Gothic motifs, and
The Unicornis among those that have received critical acclaim. The novel abounds in legends and in magical signs and occasions, yet it also develops topics central to Murdoch's moral philosophy. When she discussed
The Unicornat a conference at l'université de Caen, Murdoch noted the connection between the Cluny tapestries and the idea of purity and suffering shown by the unicorn. She also stated that the main themes of the novel…
1240 words
Citation: Bove, Cheryl. "The Unicorn". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 March 2003 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=8019, accessed 04 December 2024.]