I completed Caleb Williams early Thanksgiving morning. I did not expect the ending, but it was very interesting. Falkland as villain is the character about whom Caleb's feelings are profound and enduring. Destroying Falkland is necessary in the preservation of his own life, but due to the great love he bears for his persecutor he is destroyed to vanquish him. That is very gothic in a different way than the usual to me in that the story is so action-oriented and short on description, atmosphere.
Godwin's style was not what I expected. It was plain. There were few characters and no tender feelings, except those which Caleb bore his master and destroyer. I guess that relationship would be a truly gothic element.
It deepened my understanding of plot and character-driven work, maintaining suspense and focusing a story to a single character.