Like many works of Gothic literature, Carmilla is characterized by a pervasive atmosphere of mystery and tension. Its overall mood is suspenseful, dreary, and gloomy. Carmilla contains many supernatural elements that contribute to this haunting mood. The novella's setting, for example, immediately sets up the isolated, dark, and foreboding mood, as made evident in the below passage from Chapter 1:
The glade through which we had just walked lay before us. At our left the narrow road wound away under clumps of lordly trees, and was lost to sight amid the thickening forest. At the right the same road crosses the steep and picturesque bridge, near which stands a ruined tower which once guarded that pass; and beyond the bridge an abrupt eminence rises, covered with trees, and showing in the shadows some grey ivy-clustered rocks. Over the sward and low grounds a thin film of mist was stealing like smoke, marking the distances with a transparent veil; and here and there we could see the river faintly flashing in the moonlight.
The passage's overall mood is eerily tranquil yet foreboding. Note the descriptive imagery, particularly the attention Le Fanu pays to color and light. Detailed descriptions such as "clumps of lordy trees," "ruined tower," "grey ivy-clustered rocks," and the simile of the "thin film of mist stealing like smoke" sets a scene that is both visually rich and haunting. The image of a transparent veil suggests hidden dangers while also creating a sense of isolation and foreboding, and the image of the river "faintly flashing," an example of alliteration, also adds to the otherworldly and mysterious ambiance.
All in all, Le Fanu uses figurative language to create a sense of eerie beauty and uncertainty in the reader. He creates an atmosphere that is visually captivating yet tinged with an unsettling feeling, which perfectly sets up the dramatic events to follow.
