Literary notes about Missal (AI summary)
In literature, the word "missal" is employed to evoke a blend of religious solemnity and the mysterious allure of the Gothic. In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the missal serves as a tangible symbol of ancient ritual and spiritual authority, guiding characters through moments fraught with supernatural terror [1]. In contrast, Victor Hugo’s reference to a "Gothic missal" in his poetry imbues the term with an imaginative, even fantastical quality, suggesting that sacred texts can also inspire creative and otherworldly designs [2].
- Van Helsing opened his missal and began to read, and Quincey and I followed as well as we could.
— from Dracula by Bram Stoker - Did you need For pastime, as you handled it, Some Gothic missal to enrich With your designs fantastical?
— from Poems by Victor Hugo
