The present article aims to discuss Joseph Le Fanu's “Murdered Cousin” as representative of what Nordius calls the “colonial gothic”. My hypothesis is that Le Fanu's short story is not just a simple aesthetic exercise; rather, it is a conscious effort on the part of the author to describe and conceptualize the Anglo-Irish struggle. In fact, it was this pioneering spark that led to the creation of an entirely new genre. I hope to demonstrate that the fine threads of colonial questions are woven into Le Fanu's text. This comprehensive expository mode of storytelling was imbued with a comprehensive set of narrative, locations, and settings that were ideally suited to conveying the genre of “black fiction.” Never before has the reader been so captivated by the combination of elements of the modus operandi employed by the writer as today. The impact on the minds and attitudes of readers has undoubtedly been unprecedented. The Gothic narrative became a vehicle that colonial writers could use to convey a political message in a seemingly “innocent” way. In this article, the approaches of Fred Botting and David Punter will be adopted. Both writers helped initiate a modern and expanded vision of Gothic literature. This view was first introduced in the 1800s by the Marquis de Sade. De Sade asserted that there was a connection between the instability of the Gothic form and the political and social unrest of Europe (Napier 44). Botting and Punter emphasize the importance of the historical period in which Gothic appeared. According to both critics, the genre spoke to the contemporary scene and, ultimately, addressed the concerns of their times (Nordius 2). In his definition of Got...... middle of paper ...... follows: "This The history of the Irish Peerage is written, as faithfully as possible, in the very words in which it was told by its “heroine”, the late Countess D___, and is therefore told in the first person. (1) Works cited Le Fanu, Joseph Sheridan. “The Murdered Cousin,” March 2006 http://shortstoryclassics.50megs.com/lefanucousin.htmlMiles, Robert. Gothic writing 1750-1820: a genealogy. New York: Manchester UP, 2002. “Imperialism.” February 22, 1999. March 2006. http://www.lib.virginia.edu/small/exhibits/gothic/imperial.html. Campbell, D. “Gothic, Romance and Romance: Brief Definitions.” May 2005. March. 2006. http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/novel.htmNordius, Janina. "A History of Other Places: Sophia Lee's The Recess and Colonial Gothic." Studies in the novel. Vol: 34, Issue: 2. University of North Texas, (2002): p. 162+.