Origin of Gothic Literature
Hello readers and Happy October! We are in the midst of fall (though the weather does not always make it feel so) and the spookiest month of the year is upon us! Now as I mentioned before, I am not a huge fan of horror novels. I am, however, quite a fan of gothic novels. So for the first October of this blog’s life, my main focus will be on gothic literature. You have probably heard the term ‘gothic literature’, but where did it come from?
The gothic novel originated from 18th century Britain. Also known as ‘terror novels’, they came as a pushback to enlightenment era ideas that focused on logic and scientific reasoning. Instead, this genre focused on sensational, semi-supernatural tales of terror. Gothic architecture was prevalent in Europe from the 12th-16th century and, by the 18th century, these buildings were in disarray; such ruins were the perfect setting for dark and twisted tales. The first novel of the genre is Horace Walpole’s 1764 work The Castle of Otranto (which we will be looking at next week) . When published, it was sub headed as a ‘gothic story’ due to its medieval setting and castle architecture; this solidified the term ‘gothic novel’. Supernatural elements had been seen in classic literature before, especially in Shakespeare, but this was the first time where these supernatural tales, dripping with suspense and never ending darkness, were used largely to terrorize its audience (and the readers loved it!).
So what are some core elements/tropes of gothic literature? Major themes include:
-Isolated settings, typically a castle or manor
-gloomy atmosphere (think rain, mist, dark nights, etc.)
-past haunting the present
-death
-cursed families & prophecies
-semi supernatural phenomena
-elements of madness
The genre is typically divided into two subgenres: gothic horror and gothic romance. Gothic horror authors include Edgar Allen Poe and Mary Shelley and gothic romance authors include Ann Radcliffe and Daphne du Maurier.
“That’s it Lady Bookish?!”,I hear you exclaim, “That’s barely a post!”
Yes dear readers, this is a short post for a variety of reasons. First, my toddler has been neglecting her naps which has cut into my writing time. Second, I plan to dive into this genre all month and don’t want to be repeating things so often that you learn nothing new. Lastly, I got to leave you wanting more!
But seriously, thank you for your patience.
I am very excited to look at this genre even more! What gothic novels have you read? Any you want me to talk about?
Happy Reading!
Lady Bookish
SOURCES:
https://www.nypl.org/blog/2018/10/18/brief-history-gothic-horror
https://www.nypl.org/blog/2018/10/03/brief-history-gothic-romance
https://www.thegothiclibrary.com/the-roots-of-gothic-literature/
https://dornsife.usc.edu/news/stories/gothic-literature-recommendations/
https://www.amazon.com/History-Gothic-Fiction-Markman-Ellis/dp/0748611959
https://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/gothic/history.html
https://owlcation.com/humanities/Dare-to-Scare-The-Origins-of-Gothic-Literature