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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Thomas Cole
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?