Characteristics of Gothic Literature
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Transcript Characteristics of Gothic Literature
Characteristics
of
Gothic Literature
Gothic Architecture
First Gothic Cathedral
build in 1144
Gargoyles (originally
for religious buildings)
Vaulted ceilings
Structural ribbing
(skeletal)
Stained glass
Application to literature
• Came from
Germany in the late
1700’s - early
1800’s
• Popular among
female writers
• Became best
sellers!
• Mixture of realistic
and supernatural
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Gothic Literature
Gothic Literature was the predecessor of
modern horror movies in both theme and
style.
Gothic Literature put a spin on the
Romantic idea of nature worship and
nature imagery.
Gothic writers gave nature the power of
destruction.
Most of the world is realistic
BUT
There is something that is mysterious
and unnatural. It is usually destructive.
Characteristics
• Dark, mysterious, evil
tone
• Dark castles, palaces,
chambers, haunted
mansions
• Isolated setting
• All come together to
emphasize the sense of
evil
http://www.encounterspri.com/Articles.ht
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Archetypal Characters
There is always the protagonist, usually
isolated either voluntarily or involuntarily.
Then there is the villain, who is the epitome of
evil, either by his (usually a man) own fall from
grace, or by some implicit malevolence.
The wanderer is the epitome of isolation as he
wanders the earth in perpetual exile, usually a
form of divine punishment.
More characteristics
• Mysterious
disappearances and
reappearances
• Supernatural or
paranormal
occurrences
http://www.penelopesweb.com/gargoyles.html
Characteristics -- cont’d.
• Religion, usually
Christianity or at
least spirituality, is
confronted.
• A gothic “double” is
used in which a
character who
seems to be good is
linked with another
who is evil
www.pagedepot.com/.../ GOTHIC%20CHAPBOOKSX.HTM
This is ALMOST
gothic, but not quite.
Why?