]Eleanor shows that the "Gothic" elements in her charecter, tastes and situation are also compatible with a fully-rounded, flesh-and-blood charecter.

That is exactly what I tried to convey in my description of ET.

I agree this could well be one of the best possible defences of the novel- we are being entertained by 'real' people despite gothic shadings.

It's a rather sweeping statement at the bottom but I couldn't resist it as critics don't appear to see Elanor as a person with her own views and ideas but more as a female echo of Henry.