Gothic Literature An overview

Why is it called ‘Gothic?’ England from 1790 to 1830 Falls within the category of Romantic literature It can be seen as a description of a ‘fallen’ world-ultimately, it depicts the struggle of every human between our ‘good’ side and our ‘bad’ side It is about the result of our fears and repressed emotions and how this divided condition cannot be understood by ‘reason’ Gothic stories feature themes of despair, the grotesque and horror These novels explore ‘the other’ and how this change in dynamic ‘spoils’ an otherwise idyllic lifestyle Some famous examples you may have heard of: Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier Dracula by Bram Stoker Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson Mostly women authors-why?

More about what Gothic Literature is Named for the setting - ‘Gothic’-styled architectural building, mostly castles, mansions, abbeys Architecture labelled ‘Gothic’ as it was considered barbaric, reminding the neo-Classicists of the ‘barbaric’ Goths (a northern-Germanic tribe, probably from modern day Sweden, akin to the Vikings) who had invaded much of Europe around 5 AD. Dark stories about the supernatural began to be known as Gothic fiction ‘Haunted house’ stories Some modern Gothic stories include Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series and Lauren Kate’s Fallen series

Gothic Elements 1.Setting 2.Characters 3.Plot

1. Settings-vital in Gothic Lit They evoke the atmosphere of horror and dread They also portray the deterioration of its world: the decaying, ruined scenery implies that, at one time, there was a thriving world. At one time, the abbey, castle, or landscape was something treasured and appreciated. Now, all that lasts is the decaying shell of a once thriving dwelling.

1. Gothic architecture: castle, monastery, mansion, basements, attics 2. Mist/Fog Literary convention used to obscure objects, reduce visibility, or preclude the insertion of something terrifying. 3. Cemetery 4. Lighting: flickering candle, moonbeams, shadows, electric failure 5. Rugged landscapes: mountains, icy wastes, thick forests

2. Characters Monster/Villain/Fallen Hero Often grotesque May have ‘sinned’ and caused their own despairing fate or ancestors may have wronged someone and they are now cursed Could have striven for ‘forbidden knowledge/power and now live in isolation as form of divine punishment Sometimes has enough ‘good’ points to be seen as more than just the ‘bad guy’ Protagonist Often female and ‘weak’, innocent Pursued by evil force Can’t fight the ‘monster’, so flees instead and is ‘redeemed’ back into ‘normal’ society by a reunion with a loved one Threatened with murder, abduction, torture

More characters Supernatural beings Vampires Monsters Witches Dark angels Werewolves Ghosts Revenant The return of the dead upon the living

More characters Incarnation of evil Devil-type character Often the antagonist Pursues the heroine Attempts to kill, hurt, destroy, torture Unreliable narrator Audience suspects narrator’s version of the story may be misunderstood or that the narrator is deliberately misleading the audience

3. Plot Spiral narrative Ascent or descent Action at night The pursued heroine Decay/images of death Dreams/visions Ancestral curse Entrapment/imprisonment Gothic gadgets

More plot elements Gothic counterfeit Mystery Comedy that precludes tragedy Necromancy Body-snatching Revenge Sleep-walking Superstition Transformation

Now you decide: Is Edward Scissorhands a Gothic film? Tick the boxes on your handout that appear in the film Then, describe the element as it occurs in the film Make your decision: is there enough to justify a claim that Edward Scissorhands is a Gothic film? If yes, then explain why. If no, then explain why not and what genre you think it fits better into