summary of my introduction to gothic literature essay

Gothic Literature Essay

Gothic literature originated in the early nineteenth century. Writers of such works combined some elements of the medieval literature considered too fanciful and modern literature classified as too limited to realism. The settings reflected elements of horror and fear. They consisted of gloomy dungeons, underground passages, abundant usage of ghosts, and mysterious occurrences.

The relations reflected the extreme opposites such as life and death, dream and reality, right and wrong, and rationality and madness. The main aim of gothic literature was to evoke chilling terror by use of cruelty, mystery, and a combination of horror scenes. Gothic literature now includes works of fictions, which do not have medieval settings but create a worrisome atmosphere of terror in representing macabre or melodramatic violence.

Allan Edgar Poe short story, The Pit and the Pendulum, shows horrors associated with torture. Mental and physical torture are horrifying human experiences. The story also shows the cruelty and injustice people experience when they deviate from the established beliefs or when wrongly accused. The choice of settings as “THE PIT, typical of hell………. the Ultima Thule of all their punishments” (Poe 1989), shows the pervading elements of gothic literature.

Words, phrases, and imagery contribute to the effect of terror with morbidity and the expected horrifying death e.g. “Down — certainly, relentlessly down! It vibrated within three inches of my bosom! I struggled violently – furiously” and use of images like “Figures of fiends in aspects of menace, with skeleton forms, and other more really fearful images” (Poe 1989) create terrifying horror scenes.

Poe captures the use of explicit violence as a condemnation of the Inquisition. Poe shows confusion in the narrator’s mind as a “call to mind flatness and dampness; and then all is MADNESS — the madness of a memory which busies itself among forbidden things” (Poe 1989). Readers do not know whether the narrator is guilty or not. Poe leaves the moral judgment to his readers as he shows hope in rescue of the narrator.

The Cask of Amontillado by Poe shows terror as a means of punishing offenders. We do not see any evidence that Fortunato inflicted thousands of injuries and insults to Montresor. The short story demonstrates a human tendency in avenging wrong-doings. He foreshadows death in putting on a mask of black silk.

The concealed murder is a means to avoid the legal procedure for justice. Poe captures elements of death as follow “It was not the cry of a drunken man. There was then a long and obstinate silence. I laid the second tier, and the third, and the fourth; and then I heard the furious vibration of the chain” (Poe 1846).

The description of the setting alludes to scary and horrifying scenes such as “walls had been lined with human remains, piled to the vault overhead” and “I bowed him through several suites of rooms to the archway that led into the vaults. I passed down a long and winding staircase” (Poe 1846). The images of “A huge human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel” present scary elements of gothic works (Poe 1846). Poe leaves the moral judgment about revenge to the readers.

Poe’s two short stories bear all the elements of horrifying and chilling gothic literature. The use of imagery and descriptions of the settings make the reader identify with the sufferings people go through in the name of seeking justice. In The Pit and the Pendulum, Poe does not prove the evidence of wrongdoings of the narrator.

Likewise, in The Cask of Amontillado , he fails to show us evidence that Fortunato inflicted injuries and insults to Montresor. Poe shows that all forms of retributions, either through a legal system or personal vendetta, are the worst form of horror people can experience. This is a case of blind justice and blind revenge.

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A Brief Introduction to Gothic Literature

Elements, Themes, and Examples from the Gothic Style

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The term Gothic originates with the architecture created by the Germanic Goth tribes that was later expanded to include most medieval architecture. Ornate, intricate, and heavy-handed, this style of architecture proved to be the ideal backdrop for both the physical and the psychological settings in a new literary genre, one that concerned itself with elaborate tales of mystery, suspense, and superstition. While there are several notable precursors, the height of the Gothic period, which was closely aligned with Romanticism , is usually considered to have been the years 1764 to about 1840, however, its influence extends to 20th-century authors such as V.C. Andrews, Iain Banks, and Anne Rice.

Plot and Examples

Gothic plotlines typically involve an unsuspecting person (or persons)—usually an innocent, naive, somewhat helpless heroine—who becomes embroiled in complex and oftentimes evil paranormal scheme. An example of this trope is young Emily St. Aubert in Anne Radcliffe’s classic Gothic 1794 novel, "The Mysteries of Udolpho," which would later inspire a parody in form of Jane Austen ’s 1817 "Northanger Abbey."

The benchmark for pure Gothic fiction is perhaps the first example of the genre, Horace Walpole’s "The Castle of Otranto" (1764). Although not a long tale in the telling, the dark, its oppressive setting combined with elements of terror and medievalism set the bar for an entirely new, thrilling form of literature.

Key Elements

Most Gothic literature contains certain key elements that include:

• Atmosphere : The atmosphere in a Gothic novel is one characterized by mystery, suspense, and fear, which is usually heightened by elements of the unknown or unexplained.
• Setting : The setting of a Gothic novel can often rightly be considered a character in its own right. As Gothic architecture plays an important role, many of the stories are set in a castle or large manor, which is typically abandoned or at least run-down, and far removed from civilization (so no one can hear you should you call for help). Other settings may include caves or wilderness locales, such as a moor or heath.
• Clergy: Often, as in "The Monk" and "The Castle of Otranto," the clergy play important secondary roles in Gothic fare. These (mostly) men of the cloth are often portrayed as being weak and sometimes outrageously evil.
• The paranormal : Gothic fiction almost always contains elements of the supernatural or paranormal, such as ghosts or vampires. In some works, these supernatural features are later explained in perfectly reasonable terms, however, in other instances, they remain completely beyond the realm of rational explanation.
• Melodrama : Also called “high emotion,” melodrama is created through highly sentimental language and instances of overwrought emotion. The panic, terror, and other feelings characters experience is often expressed in a way that's overblown and exaggerated in order to make them seem out of control and at the mercy of the increasingly malevolent influences that surround them.
• Omens : Typical of the genre, omens—or portents and visions—often foreshadow events to come. They can take many forms, such as dreams, spiritual visitations, or tarot card readings.
• Virgin in distress : With the exception of a few novels, such as Sheridan Le Fanu’s "Carmilla" (1872), most Gothic villains are powerful males who prey on young, virginal women (think Dracula). This dynamic creates tension and appeals deeply to the reader's sense of pathos, particularly as these heroines typically tend to be orphaned, abandoned, or somehow severed from the world, without guardianship.

Modern Critiques

Modern readers and critics have begun to think of Gothic literature as referring to any story that uses an elaborate setting, combined with supernatural or super-evil forces against an innocent protagonist. The contemporary understanding is similar but has widened to include a variety of genres, such as paranormal and horror. 

Selected Bibliography

In addition to "The Mysteries of Udolpho" and "The Castle of Otranto," there are a number of classic novels that those interested in Gothic literature will want to pick up. Here's a list of 10 titles that are not to be missed:

• "The History of the Caliph Vathek" (1786) by William Thomas Beckford
• "The Monk" (1796) by Mathew Lewis
• "Frankenstein" (1818) by Mary Shelley
• "Melmoth the Wanderer" (1820) by Charles Maturin
• "Salathiel the Immortal" (1828) by George Croly
• " The Hunchback of Notre-Dame " (1831) by Victor Hugo
• "The Fall of the House of Usher" (1839) by Edgar Allan Poe
• "Varney the Vampire; or, the Feast of Blood" (1847) by James Malcolm Rymer
• "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson
• " Dracula " (1897) by Bram Stoker
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Gothic Literature — Definition, Elements, and Examples

What is Gothic literature?

Gothic literature focuses on the darker aspects of humanity paired with intense contrasting emotions such as pleasure and pain or love and death. A classic example of a Gothic novel is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.

Gothic literature is often set around dilapidated castles, secluded estates, and unfamiliar environments.

Gothic works often includes characteristics like omens, the supernatural, and romance.

Gothic literature tends to incorporate revenge, family secrets, prophecies, psychological struggles, and "damsels in distress."

Gothic literature emerged in Europe during the 18th century and was inspired by Gothic architecture from the Middle Ages.

Like Romanticism, the Gothic style arose as a response to the Enlightenment. Gothic writers rebelled against the Enlightenment notion of understanding the world purely through logic. Romantics believed in individualism, idealism, and emotional passion, which they felt were positive ways to live.

Gothics agreed with the same ideas, yet they suggested the outcomes of following those ideas could have darker implications. As such, Gothic literature is often also identified as Dark Romanticism.

Gothic elements

Gothic literature in English typically contains characteristics like omens, the supernatural, romance, and anti-heroes.

The physical location of the setting within Gothic literature mimics or influences characters’ emotions. Since most Gothic stories are set in gloomy and foreboding places (old castles, cemeteries, dark forests, etc.) with ominous weather conditions (foggy, thunderstorms, etc.), the characters’ surroundings negatively impact them.

Writers often used omens to foreshadow future events that would disrupt the characters’ lives. These predictions came in the form of curses, nightmares, and/or visions and mostly forecast tragedy.

Plots often include supernatural elements like resurrection, spirits/ghosts, vampires, werewolves, etc. Some authors attempted to explain the existence of the supernatural, while others classified it as entirely paranormal. Regardless, the supernatural entities/events provide commentary on some aspect of the human condition.

Many Gothic novels incorporate a romantic relationship between the protagonist and another character. However, these relationships are often destined for doom and tragedy, highlighting the negative implications of lost love.

Villains often take the form of male characters in some position of power. Authors may present these characters as sympathetic to hide their deceptive nature.

Through exaggerated and hyperbolic emotional expressions , authors present their characters in a state of intense fear, anxiety, stress, etc. The characters often experience great emotional distress, madness, or psychosis.

The protagonist is often developed as an anti-hero . These characters drive the plot, but they often lack conventional heroic qualities. These characters were often seen as much more realistic than the typical hero/heroine.

The anti-villain is the reverse of the anti-hero. While these characters are considered villains, they often blur the line between good and evil.

Gothic authors often use a hero-villain as the antagonist. These characters are so complex that it becomes difficult to determine whether they are good or bad.

Distressed female characters tend to be characterized as the victims; their suffering from being alone or abandoned often becomes the central focus of the plot. As such, female characters become controlled by male characters who have power due to their authority or social position.

Characters experience psychological struggles that can lead to hallucinations, anxiety, and/or psychosis.

Gothic literature examples

Some of the most notable writers who incorporated Gothic elements in their works include Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, and Bram Stoker:

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I remember telling my father I was getting my Ph.D. in Gothic literature and he replied, confused, “Gothic like Goths? The people who wear all black?” While technically true, this definitely wasn’t my area of study and I as tried to explain I realized how difficult it can be to define what is gothic. Historically, the Goths were a group of Germanic tribes that toppled the Roman Empire and plunged Europe into the Dark Ages. The term “Gothic” was first used to describe the architecture that developed during this period which was considered barbaric and garish by Renaissance artists. Borrowing the term’s association with darkness and superstition, Horace Walpole used to describe his novel The Castle of Otranto: A Gothic Story (1765). In the 1970s, bands like Joy Division and The Cure adopted the genre’s macabre elements to create Gothic rock, a genre of atmospheric post-punk rock with a thriving Goth subculture. At each stage in its evolution, the Gothic has exceeded existing boundaries to influence literature, film, popular culture and fashion to the point that a pair of black Crocs festooned in metal spikes and chains can now be described as “gothic”.

Part of the reason the Gothic can be difficult to define is that the genre is an “uneasy conflation of genres, styles and conflicted cultural concerns” (Hogle 2). Walpole intended his novel to be a combination of “two kinds of romance, the ancient and the modern” (Walpole 65). Predictably Otranto is torn between the hyper-rationality of the Enlightenment that demanded: “strict adherence to common life” and the passionate feelings of Romanticism where “all was imagination and improbability” (Walpole 65). Trying to wed the best of both genres of writing, Walpole creates a marriage of high-brow aesthetics and low-brow supernatural content that defies easy categorization. As a result, the genre “oscillates” sometimes violently “between the earthly laws of conventional reality and the possibilities of the supernatural”(Hogle 4).

In light of the genre’s ambivalence, it might be more useful to regard the Gothic as both a genre, with a canon of original works, and as a mode with a set of conventions has permeated other genres like fantasy and science fiction.  The Gothic literary genre flourished in Britain between 1765 and 1838, emerging as a dark strain of eighteenth-century Romanticism. Gothic plots featured supernatural occurrences, eerie atmospheres, and decrepit architectural spaces that represented the turmoil of their tortured protagonists. It is these conventions that have allowed the Gothic to survive beyond the Gothic novel’s heyday. Modern literature, film, and television rework the familiar staples of the Gothic genre. They can be set in an antiquated space—the abandoned castle, derelict labyrinth, haunted house, ruined abbey or urban underworld—which contains a threat in the form of monsters, ghosts, or specters which represent the return of repressed conflict that haunts the story’s protagonists.

Working off these definitions of the Gothic, I have organized this book to cover the historical periods that saw the rise and fall of the Gothic genre. The historical periods include the Eighteenth Century Gothic which covers early Gothic novels like Walpole’s Otranto and William Beckford’s Vathek as well as high Gothic works like Matthew Lewis’ The Monk . Victorian Gothic examines works that defined the genre during Queen Victoria’s reign like Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde , and Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray . Modern Gothic explores the genre’s evolution through the end of World War II.

Future editions of this textbook will include sections on:

• Female Gothic
• Gothic Romantics
• Gothic Television
• Gothic Music
• American Gothic
• Irish Gothic
• Haunted Houses

This guide is by no means comprehensive and my hope is that this project will continue to grow and become a living, collaborative resource for instructors of the Gothic and inspire the next generation of Gothic scholars.

Works Cited

Hogle, Jerrold E. “Introduction.” The Cambridge Companion to Gothic Fiction, edited by Jerrold E. Hogle, Cambridge University Press, 2002, pp. 1–20.

Walpole, Horace. The  Castle of Otranto: A Gothic Story; and, The Mysterious Mother : A Tragedy . Broadview Press, 2003.

A Guide to the Gothic Copyright © 2019 by Jeanette Laredo is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Introduction & Overview of Gothic Literature

Gothic Literature Summary & Study Guide Description

Gothic literature, a movement that focused on ruin, decay, death, terror, and chaos, and privileged irrationality and passion over rationality and reason, grew in response to the historical, sociological, psychological, and political contexts of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Although Horace Walpole is credited with producing the first Gothic novel, The Castle of Otranto , in 1764, his work was built on a foundation of several elements. First, Walpole tapped a growing fascination with all things medieval; and medieval romance provided a generic framework for his novel. In addition, Edmund Burke's 1757 treatise, A Philosophical Enquiry into the Sublime and Beautiful , offered a philosophical foundation. Finally, the Graveyard School of poetry, so called because of the attention poets gave to ruins, graveyards, death, and human mortality, flourished in the mid-eighteenth century and provided a thematic and literary context for the Gothic.

Walpole's novel was wildly popular, and his novel introduced most of the stock conventions of the genre: an intricate plot; stock characters; subterranean labyrinths; ruined castles; and supernatural occurrences. The Castle of Otranto was soon followed by William Beckford's Vathek (1786); Ann Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794) and The Italian (1797); Matthew Lewis's The Monk (1796); Charles Brockden Brown's Wieland (1797); Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818); and Charles Robert Maturin's Melmoth the Wanderer (1820).

While it may be comparatively easy to date the beginning of the Gothic movement, it is much harder to identify its close, if indeed the movement did come to a close at all. There are those such as David Punter in The Literature of Terror: A History of Gothic Fictions from 1765 to the Present Day and Fred Botting in Gothic who follow the transitions and transformations of the Gothic through the twentieth century. Certainly, any close examination of the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker's Dracula , or Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in the nineteenth century demonstrates both the transformation and the influence of the Gothic. In the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the ongoing fascination with horror, terror, the supernatural, vampires, werewolves, and other things that go bump in the night evidences the power the Gothic continues to exert.

In its attention to the dark side of human nature and the chaos of irrationality, the Gothic provides for contemporary readers some insight into the social and intellectual climate of the time in which the literature was produced. A time of revolution and reason, madness and sanity, the 1750s through the 1850s provided the stuff that both dreams and nightmares were made of.

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Gothic Literature

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
• Copyright year: 2013
• Audience: College/higher education;
• Main content: 224
• Keywords: Literary Studies
• Published: March 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9780748647439

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"My Intro to Gothic Literature" Part 1

11 questions

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Which definition best defines the word gothic ?

Something that is dark, mysterious, and sometimes depressing.

Something that is happy, but scary.

Something that involves Halloween items and the color black.

Something that is spooky and dark, but also involves bright colors.

Which of the following is the BEST way to describe an explanatory essay?

An explanatory essay explains a topic.

An explanatory essay tells a story.

An explanatory essay is an autobiography.

An explanatory essay convinces the reader to believe a certain topic.

Which of the following is the BEST way to describe a narrative?

Something that tells a story.

Something that explains a topic.

Something that tells a Gothic story.

Something that is dark and mysterious.

What does it mean when someone describes something in a vivid way?

They are describing something to you in a clear, precise manner that paints a picture in your mind.

They are describing something to that paints Gothic images in your mind.

They are describing something to you in a confusing manner so you cannot picture it in your mind.

They are describing something clear and bright, but paint a scary image in your mind.

Click ALL the different types of literature you see below. (Hint: There's more than one answer.)

A collection of stories

Which description BEST defines Edgar Allan Poe?

A famous Gothic writer/author

The author of "My Introduction to Gothic Literature"

The author's grandfather

The author's first love and her former boyfriend

When annotating the text in "My Introduction to Gothic Literature," what do your highlights in YELLOW mean?

These are key words and phrases that are important or have a Gothic tone.

These are key details in the essay that are the most important parts of the text.

These are parts that describe the author's feelings.

These are vocabulary words.

When annotating the text in "My Introduction to Gothic Literature," what do your highlights in GREEN mean?

Which of the following words/phrases would best be described as " Gothic "?

cloudy, dark night

joyful dreams

In the first paragraph of "My Introduction to Gothic Literature," what key detail does the author present that describes what her whole essay will be?

The author discusses how she was introduced to Gothic literature, and how it became her literary passion.

The author discusses how she fell in love with Edgar Allan Poe when she was 14-years-old.

The author discusses the reasons why people have a literary passion for Gothic literature.

The author discusses how she fell in love with Gothic literature because her parents went through a divorce.

In the second paragraph of "My Introduction to Gothic Literature," what key details does the author include that build up her introduction to Gothic literature?

When the author was 14, she goes to live with her grandmother. One night, a storm hit and the power went out. Her grandmother suggests she read a book to pass the time.

When the author was 14, she goes to live with her grandmother. One night, a storm hit and the power went out. The author goes searching for something to do and finds a book in her grandmother's room.

The author reads a book called "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe.

The author describes how she was feeling angry at her parents for getting a divorce, so she ran away to her grandmother's house when she was 14. One night, a storm hit and the power went out. The author looked for batteries for the flashlight.

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