Features of Gothic Literature
Summary
TLDRGothic fiction, originating with Horace Walpole's 'The Castle of Otranto,' is characterized by haunting castles, supernatural elements, and intense emotions. It explores themes of the past's influence on the present, social norms, and often features strong, complex female characters. This genre, with its blend of fear and fascination, continues to inspire, influencing art and culture through various mediums.
Takeaways
- đ° Gothic fiction is characterized by settings like crumbling castles and candlelit corridors that create an atmosphere of unease.
- đ» The supernatural is a key element, featuring ghosts, spirits, and other beings that defy natural explanation.
- đČ Remote and rugged landscapes are often used to explore the fear of the dangerous and unfamiliar.
- â Metonymy, such as extreme weather, is used to heighten emotional intensity and plot tension.
- đź Gothic texts often deal with extremes of emotion, using vivid language to create a volatile and unsettling mood.
- đ· Captivity and confinement are common themes, reflecting the past's influence on the present and characters' lives.
- đ©â𩯠The genre explores patriarchal society and the position of women, with female characters sometimes exerting power over male characters.
- đ« Gothic fiction often emerges during social upheaval, reflecting societal fears and anxieties of the time.
- đ The uncanny, a Freudian concept, is explored through characters and situations that are initially unfamiliar but later recognized.
- đ§ââïž Gothic hero villains, like Heathcliff, are more complex and threatening than typical romantic heroes, often causing the heroine's anguish.
Q & A
What is the significance of 'The Castle of Otranto' in the Gothic fiction genre?
-Horace Walpole's 'The Castle of Otranto,' published in 1764, is largely credited with kick-starting the English Gothic phenomenon. It had an electrifying effect on its audience and gave rise to a surge of interest in stories featuring supernatural beings, extravagant violence, and intensely passionate protagonists.
How does the Gothic genre use settings like castles to create an atmosphere of unease?
-Castles are one of the Gothic's most recognizable and enduring features. Their imposing exteriors, candlelit corridors, and haunted hallways provide the ideal backdrop for constructing the mood of unease that permeates the plots of many Gothic texts.
What role does the supernatural play in Gothic fiction, and what are some examples of supernatural beings?
-The supernatural in Gothic fiction refers to beings or events that do not fit within the accepted confines of nature. Examples include ghosts, spirits, phantoms, witches, goblins, and poltergeists. These elements are used to create a sense of fear and suspense.
How do remote and rugged landscapes contribute to the Gothic genre?
-Remote and rugged landscapes, such as imposing icebergs, wooded forests, and faraway lands, highlight nature's strength and savagery. These landscapes allow writers to explore the fear of the dangerous and unfamiliar, contributing to the genre's atmosphere of suspense and terror.
What is metonymy, and how is it used in Gothic novels?
-Metonymy is a literary device where one thing stands in for another. In Gothic novels, extreme weather conditions like rain, thunderstorms, blizzards, and wind are used to exaggerate the emotional intensity of characters and lend tension to the plot.
How do Gothic texts explore the theme of captivity and confinement?
-Gothic texts often feature characters being forcibly restrained against their will, confined by confusing corridors, secret passageways, and hidden trap doors. This not only restricts their freedom but also creates a sense of danger and claustrophobia.
What influence does the past have on the present in Gothic fiction?
-In Gothic fiction, the past often exerts a continuous and sometimes violent influence on the present, disrupting or unbalancing the lives of protagonists. This is often represented through ancestral abodes, ancient curses, and the ongoing significance of past events.
How does the Gothic genre portray women and their roles within patriarchal society?
-Gothic fiction often portrays women as vulnerable and dominated by violent, powerful men. However, some female protagonists exert power over male characters, challenging the patriarchal norms and societal expectations of their time.
What is the significance of the uncanny in Gothic texts, and how is it explored?
-The uncanny, a concept coined by Sigmund Freud, refers to something seemingly new that transports us to a past event or emotion. In Gothic texts, this is explored by including situations or characters that may appear unfamiliar but are later recognized by the characters, producing an uneasy or frightening effect.
How do Gothic hero villains differ from typical romantic heroes?
-Gothic hero villains are more villainous than their romantic counterparts, often causing the heroine's anguish rather than providing rescue. They are physically and emotionally threatening and do not conform to the traditional hero role, as exemplified by Heathcliff in 'Wuthering Heights.'
What recurring themes, events, and characters are commonly found in Gothic novels?
-Gothic novels often feature recurring themes such as the influence of the past on the present, extreme emotions, and supernatural elements. They also include characters like mother and daughter with the same name, parallel lives, and dual settings that highlight differences and similarities among inhabitants.
Outlines
đ° Origins and Key Characteristics of Gothic Fiction
This paragraph introduces the Gothic fiction genre, highlighting its origins and key characteristics. It mentions the influence of Horace Walpole's 'The Castle of Otranto' in starting the English Gothic phenomenon. The paragraph describes the typical elements of Gothic fiction such as crumbling castles, supernatural beings, and intense emotions. It also discusses how the genre evolved with classics like 'Frankenstein' and 'Wuthering Heights', and how it has continued to influence culture through various mediums. The enduring appeal of Gothic is attributed to its blend of the fascinating and frightening, with a focus on themes and motifs that continue to reinvent themselves in modern times.
đ§ïž Gothic Elements: Atmosphere, Extremes, and the Past
Paragraph 2 delves into the atmospheric elements of Gothic literature, such as suspense and foreboding created by weather conditions and other sounds. It discusses the use of language to convey extreme emotions and the confinement of characters within Gothic settings. The paragraph also explores how the past influences the present in Gothic narratives, often causing disruption and fear. It touches on the portrayal of women in Gothic fiction, highlighting both their vulnerability and power. Additionally, it mentions the genre's exploration of unconventional sexual desires and the societal context in which Gothic novels often emerge, such as during times of social upheaval and scientific advancements.
đ§ââïž Gothic Heroes and the Uncanny
The final paragraph focuses on the concept of the Gothic hero, often a villainous figure who causes distress rather than providing rescue. It contrasts this with the typical romantic hero, emphasizing the darker and more menacing nature of Gothic protagonists. The paragraph also discusses the use of the uncanny in Gothic literature, where initially unfamiliar elements are revealed to be known or recognized, creating an unsettling effect. It mentions how Gothic fiction often includes situations or characters that evoke a sense of the past or the familiar, contributing to the genre's eerie and captivating quality.
Mindmap
Keywords
đĄGothic Fiction
đĄThe Supernatural
đĄCrumbling Castles
đĄSublime
đĄHero-Villain
đĄPatriarchal Society
đĄUnconventional Desires
đĄMetonymy
đĄThe Uncanny
đĄSocial Upheaval
Highlights
Gothic fiction is characterized by elements such as crumbling castles, supernatural beings, and haunted corridors.
Horace Walpole's 'The Castle of Otranto' is credited with initiating the English Gothic genre in 1764.
Gothic literature often features doomed lovers and ancient curses, sparking interest in the unnatural and the violently passionate.
Enduring Gothic classics include Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' and Emily Brontë's 'Wuthering Heights'.
Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' is a notable work that appeared nearly a century after Walpole's novel.
The Gothic genre's popularity has seen a resurgence due to its blend of the fascinating and the frightening.
Castles are a recognizable feature in Gothic literature, providing a backdrop for unease and suspense.
The supernatural is a key element in Gothic fiction, with entities like ghosts, spirits, and witches often playing a role.
Gothic novels frequently use remote and rugged landscapes to explore the fear of the dangerous and unfamiliar.
Metonymy, such as extreme weather, is used in Gothic literature to heighten emotional intensity and plot tension.
Gothic texts often deal with extremes of emotion, using vivid language to create a volatile and unsettling mood.
Captivity and abduction are common themes in Gothic literature, restricting characters' freedom and safety.
The past has a significant influence on the present in Gothic fiction, often causing disruption and fear.
Gothic fiction has been used to explore and criticize patriarchal society and the position of women.
Unusual sexual desires are explored in Gothic literature, challenging societal norms and boundaries.
Gothic novels often appear during or are inspired by times of social upheaval, reflecting societal changes and fears.
The uncanny, a concept by Freud, is explored in Gothic texts through familiar yet unfamiliar situations or characters.
Gothic fiction, as a subset of the Romantic genre, features male protagonists who are more villainous than typical romantic heroes.
Gothic literature often includes recurring themes, events, and characters, reflecting the genre's preoccupation with the past.
Transcripts
welcome to gothic at-a-glance a look at
the origins and key characteristics of
the gothic fiction genre what comes to
mind when you hear the word gothic do
you think of crumbling castles the
candlelit corridors haunted by unhappy
ghosts who do you picture creatures of
macabre face and form like
Frankenstein's ill-fated monster the
Gothic comprises all these and many more
Horace Walpole's the Castle of Otranto
published in 1764 is largely credited
with kick-starting the English gothic
phenomenon full of lengthy adjectives
written descriptions that arguably
diffuse rather than develop a feeling of
horror nevertheless the novel had an
electrifying effect on its audience the
tale of the doomed lovers plagued by
ancient curses gave rise to a surge of
interest in stories featuring unnatural
beings extravagant violent and intensely
passionate protagonists as well as other
elements that have come to define the
genre in the rash of imitations that
followed enduring classics such as Mary
Shelley's Frankenstein and Emily
Bronte's Wuthering Heights emerged with
Bram Stoker's Dracula appearing almost a
century after Walpole's trailblazing
text by the time the genres popularity
had begun to wane in the late 19th
century it had already carved out a
place in readers affections and would
witness a resurgence in the years to
come
thanks to its compelling blend of the
fascinating and frightening the Gothic
genre continues to inspire artists and
consumers of culture alike if the
ongoing reinvention of its themes and
motifs where filmmakers - fashion
designers is anything to go by the
Gothic will be terrifying and
titillating us for years to come
whatever their stated disrepair castles
are one of the gothics most recognisable
and enduring features their opposing
exteriors candlelit corridors and
haunted hallways provide the ideal
backdrop for constructing the mood of
unease that permeates the plots of so
many gothic texts from Shakespeare to
Stoker ancestral abodes have been used
to great effect and though modern
writers may choose less historic homes
in which to house their characters an
imposing building of some description is
dare a ger in any gothic text another
one of the gothic most recognizable
features the supernatural refers to
beings or events that do not fit within
the accepted confines of nature examples
of supernatural beings include ghosts
spirits and phantoms as well as witches
goblins and poltergeists and may refer
to any other occurrences that defy easy
explanation or classification some
writers seem to require readers to
believe wholeheartedly ghosts or spirits
whereas others such as English gothic
nobilis Anna Radcliffe or for logical
explanations for seemingly supernatural
events
of course the thrilling thrall of the
supernatural has been exploited for
centuries
for example pre gothic texts such as
macbeth included witches and Christopher
Marlowe's Doctor Faustus the devil
himself
gothic fiction often features remote and
rugged landscapes from imposing icebergs
particularly wooded forests and faraway
lands like Transylvania and Bram
Stoker's Dracula as well as highlighting
nature's strength and savagery these
landscapes allow writers to explore the
excitement and strangely pleasurable
fear of the dangerous and unfamiliar
examples from literature include the
Moors in Wuthering Heights the blasted
Heath in Macbeth and the Antarctic
wastes in Frankenstein often gothic
texts feature unconventional dangerous
and unstable natural settings for
example the Moors and inhospitable
weather of watering Heights interacting
with nature and weather at its wildest
commits characters to go outside
themselves and experience sublimity new
and extraordinary emotions the sublime
also allows writers explore the nature
and boundaries of pleasure itself
challenging previously uncontested
definitions of enjoyment and how it is
derived metonymy is a literary device
whereby one thing is used to stand in
for another extreme or poor weather is a
typical use of metonymy in gothic novels
chromatic weather conditions such as
rain and thunder storms blizzards and
wind are used to exaggerating highlights
the emotional intensity of characters as
well as lending tension to the plot
other instances of metonymy can include
clanking chains howling dogs the
scraping of knives and locked doors
all of which create and communicate an
atmosphere of suspense and foreboding in
the reader gothic texts are very much
concerned with extremes including
emotional and psychological gothic
protagonists frequently experience and
give rise to excessive feelings such as
rage passion terror madness lust and
sorrow writers will utilize language
techniques such as vivid and disturbing
similes and metaphors
powerful verbs and adjectives as well as
alliteration and sibilants to augment
the impact of the emotions being
described this overblown emotional
lexicon also serves to create a volatile
unsettling mood that helps to build
tension and anxiety in the reader
perfect texts frequently feature
captivity abduction characters being
forcibly restrained against their will
Jonathan Harker is imprisoned by Count
Dracula and Lockwood the narrator of
watering Heights spends a harrowing
light in a coffin like a casement
likewise weather can restrict characters
freedom in gothic novels as well as
threatening or endangering their safety
protagonists are also confined by
confusing corridors secret passageways
and hidden trap doors in Gothic texts
the past exerts are continuous at times
violent influence on the present
frequently disrupting or unbalancing
protagonists lives for example the
doorway to water in Heights is engraved
with the legend hareton earnshaw
fifteen-hundred reminding visitors and
readers alike of the past ongoing
significance boasts exemplified this
ideal perfectly they should not exist in
the present and the fact that they do
creates confusion fear on horror for the
living additional discomfort is created
because often gothic texts transport
their modern protagonists and readers
back to an archaic often unsettling
place in time
critics have noted that in gothic
fiction women are often portrayed as
vulnerable and dominated by violent
powerful men some writers have used this
dynamic to explore and criticize
patriarchal society and the position of
women in the 18th and 19th centuries
for example Isabella Linton and
mothering height is cruelly dominated
legally emotionally and physically by
Heathcliff nevertheless some female
protagonists still appear to exert power
over male characters catherine earnshaw
for example holds sway over Heathcliff
both during their lives and after her
death mazak fiction shows interest in
exploring unusual or socially
unconventional sexual desires such as
incest necrophilia same-sex desire and
rape exploring these impulses may allow
writers to delve into emotional and
sexual realms not normally discussed in
everyday life furthermore female
protagonists can be portrayed as
sexually powerful and confident a threat
to male characters and the status quo
they represent this departure from
society's norms and the boundaries of
acceptability in literature no doubt
provider genre with illicit and
therefore added appeal gothic texts
commonly appear during or are inspired
by times of social upheaval in the late
17th and 18th century events such as the
French Revolution in 1789 toppled
accepted socio-religious norms horrific
act perpetrated during this upheaval fed
into the often grotesque violence found
in many Catholic novels in addition
important scientific advances were being
made such as a Galvin these early
experiments into electricity
Mary Shelley for instance explored the
ramifications of such discoveries in
Frankenstein in which a scientist
springs to life of being comprised of
different body parts gothic novels tend
to feature recurring themes events and
characters Emily Bronte's Wuthering
Heights for example includes a mother
and daughter with the same name
catherine who share to some extent
parallel lives
it also features two distinct hits
comparable houses weathering Heights and
Thrushcross Grange a device that serves
to highlight both differences and
similarities of their inhabitants
this dub link may be in part due to the
gothics ongoing preoccupation with the
past and the complex often subtle ways
it continues to affect the present lives
of its protagonists
coined by the father of psychoanalysis
Sigmund Freud the uncanny refers to
something seemingly new and nevertheless
transports us to an event or emotion in
our own past or harks back to a bygone
era in Gothic texts this is explored by
including situations or characters that
may appear unfamiliar at first but as
soon revealed to be known or recognized
by the characters producing an uneasy or
even frightening effect examples include
a waxworks Talde and vampires and may
include supernatural beings or event
which are then revealed to not be
supernatural at all
as a subset of the romantic genre gothic
fiction often features male protagonists
who resemble a typical romantic hero
often handsome charming and mysterious
nevertheless gothic leading men are more
villain than their romantic counterparts
physically and emotionally threatening
gothic hero villains often cause rather
than allay the heroines anguish and do
not conform readily to the rescuer role
Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights embodies
the Gothic hero villain perfectly his
passion for Catherine ultimately helps
to destroy her and his brutality towards
his own wife Isabella Linton forces had
to flee to London with a young son for
their own protection thank you for
watching
gothic of the glance I hope you found
this presentation useful please feel
free to leave any comments or feedback
on my page thank you
Voir Plus de Vidéos Connexes
The Gothic
Wuthering Heights summary - - NET | SET | British Literature Series - Heena Wadhwani
HUM080 Module 1 - Lesson 1 Introduction to Popular Culture
The Supernatural in Macbeth | Theme Analysis
WHAT IS INSTALLATION ART IN 2024? Art That Transforms Spaces
When Home Won't Let You Stay: Migration through Contemporary Art | ICA/Boston
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)