Abstract
This study examines the portrayal of the Gothic heroine in Ann Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho from 1794 and The Italian from 1797, showing how her characterisation reshaped eighteenth-century Gothic fiction and influenced later narrative models. Radcliffe’s heroines, defined by courage, emotional sensitivity, and moral endurance, confront patriarchy, fear, and confinement through rational thought, psychological resilience, and the careful use of domestic or religious space. Using feminist theory and spatial criticism, the study argues that their agency develops not from rebellion but from calm reasoning, emotional control, and subtle resistance within restrictive architectural and social structures. The study also traces Radcliffe’s lasting influence in modern texts, including The Handmaid’s Tale and the film Ex Machina, where female characters continue to negotiate surveillance, containment, and the search for autonomy. These contemporary works reflect the same pattern of confined yet active agency that Radcliffe first established. Overall, the analysis shows that Radcliffe created a lasting model of female empowerment through spatial negotiation and inner strength. Her Gothic heroines endure because they transform confinement into agency, providing a foundation for later feminist storytelling in literature, film, and wider cultural production.