What is the history of Gothic literature?
Gothic fiction began as a sophisticated joke. Horace Walpole first applied the word ‘Gothic’ to a novel in the subtitle – ‘A Gothic Story’ – of The Castle of Otranto, published in 1764. When he used the word it meant something like ‘barbarous’, as well as ‘deriving from the Middle Ages’.
Where did Gothic literature originate from?
But where did Gothic literature originate? Throughout the 18th century, the phenomenon of the Gothic emerged and flourished across Britain. With its emphasis on suspense and the supernatural, terror and the macabre, the Gothic was heralded as a “medieval revival” that stood against the Enlightenment’s focus on reason.
What is the original meaning of Gothic literature?
The adjective gothic describes something that is characterized by mystery, horror, and gloom — especially in literature. Gothic literature combines the genres of romance and horror. Some famous writers of Gothic fiction include Charlotte Bronte, Mary Shelley and Edgar Allan Poe.
What is Gothic literature?
Gothicism in literature (Gothic fiction or Gothic literature) is a style of writing characterized by gloomy settings, grotesque action, supernatural elements, romance and exoticism. The Gothic writers mostly fabricate their narratives using elements like horror, mystery, suspense, romance, decay and degeneration.
What are the 5 elements of Gothic literature?
Gothic elements include the following:
What are 5 key features of Gothic literature?
Gothic elements include the following:
- Setting in a castle.
- An atmosphere of mystery and suspense.
- An ancient prophecy is connected with the castle or its inhabitants (either former or present).
- Omens, portents, visions.
- Supernatural or otherwise inexplicable events.
- High, even overwrought emotion.
- Women in distress.
Who were the most successful Gothic writers?
This list features the best gothic novelists including, the Bronte sisters, Bram Stoker, Mary Shelley, Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allan Poe, and Robert Louis Stevenson.
What is the origin of Gothic literature?
The first form of Gothic literature began in the year 1764 when Horace Walpole published his novel The Castle of Otranto . The novel, often considered as the first novel of Gothic romance , makes use of the medieval Gothic architectural styles and design.
Why did Gothic literature originate?
Gothic literature is thought to have appeared in the eighteenth century as a response to the dominance of the Enlightenment-based literature of rational thought and reason, and in response to neoclassical themes of harmony, holiness, and general positivity. Gothic literature is rooted in invoking human emotion, rather than reason.
What are the best Gothic books?
The Best Southern Gothic Books, Classic and Contemporary Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner Beloved by Toni Morrison The Violent Bear It Away by Flannery O’Connor The Color Purple by Alice Walker Suttree by Cormac McCarthy Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Where did Gothic literature come from?
The gothic style originated in Europe during the 12th to the 18th century. It applied to medieval styles of art and architecture, particularly buildings such as cathedrals and other churches. Gothic literature began in England with the novel the ‘Castle of Oranto’ by Horace Walpole .