The Gothic Novel Background Notes Gothic Elements

Gothic Who are Goths? What do you know about Goths? Where are Goths from?

The Goths a Germanic tribe that originated in Sweden and spread through Europe Reached the height of their power around 5th century A.D., when they sacked Rome and captured Spain, but their history finally subsumed under that of the countries they conquered.

Connection to the Gothic Novel? Centuries passed before the word "gothic" meant anything else again. During the Renaissance, Europeans rediscovered Greco-Roman culture and began to regard a particular type of architecture, mainly those built during the Middle Ages, as "gothic" –  No connection to the Goths, but they were considered barbaric and not in Classical (Roman) style In the 1800s, "gothic" came to describe a certain type of novels, because all these novels seem to take place in Gothic-styled architecture -- mainly castles, mansions, and, of course, abbeys ("Gothic...").

The Gothic Novel Gothic novel took shape mostly in England from 1790 to It falls within the category of Romantic literature. But it is a reaction against the rigidity and formality of other forms of Romantic literature. The Gothic novel is not limited to this time period - it takes its roots from former terrorizing writing that dates back to the Middle Ages, and can still be found written today by writers such as Stephen King.

Beauty & the Beast

Conventions of Gothic Literature 1. A hero whose birth is enshrouded in mystery. 2. Restless ghosts groaning for revenge. 3. Forbidding cliffs, stormy seas (eerie settings) 4. Ancient manuscripts rediscovered; produces a narration which gives an air of strangeness to the exotic setting. 5. Incest 6. Characters can often communicate psychically. 7. Often concerned with the possibility of returning to life after death.

Conventions, Continued 8. Problem of evil presented as a psychological problem 9. Castle or house identified with its owner 10. Characters exhibit overwhelming guilt or pride. 11. Good characters are usually physically lovely; evil characters have twisted bodies and ugly faces. 12. The idyllic life in nature invaded and destroyed by a dark ambiguous force. 13. Animals respond to a supernatural presence.

More gothic elements 14. Metonymy of gloom and horror. Example: Rain at a funeral 15. Terrifying things occur at night, usually after midnight. 16. Story often concerned with injustice. 17. Magic mirrors in which one can see anyone he wishes. 18. Moving statues and pictures. 19. Madness (insanity) often occurs.

Gothic Elements, the last ones 20. Dreaded secrets. 21. Inexplicable music. 22. Heroine is usually beautiful and virtuous, often an orphan and given to swooning and weeping. 23. Hero usually has a vague past, is basically good but has a flaw. 24. Characters usually not drawn realistically, may not even be believable. 25. Fatal/tortured love

Gothic Terms (Test Material) Antithesis – (Greek “Setting opposite”) brings out the contrast in a setting, person, or idea. Example: "When there is need of silence, you speak, and when there is need of speech, you are dumb; when you are present, you wish to be absent, and when absent, you desire to be present; in peace you are for war, and in war you long for peace; in council you descant on bravery, and in the battle you tremble."

Gothic Terms : Continued Doppelgänger - (German “Double Walker”) a paranormal double of a person usually bringing misfortune or evil. Legend says if you see your doppelgänger you will die shortly after. Notable figures: Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Donne, Abraham Lincoln, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Gothic Terms : Continued Grotesque – (Latin “Grotto” meaning “Little Cave”) In the 18 th century in French, German, and English writing it came to refer to the fantastic, ugly, unpleasant or disgusting. Characters are usually considered grotesque if they invoke both empathy and disgust.

Gothic Terms : Continued Satanic / Promethean Hero – An over-reacher who unsettles traditional moral catagories. Originates from the Myth of Prometheus. Famous Promethean Hero: John Milton’s Satan from Paradise Lost

Myth of Prometheus

Gothic Terms : Continued The Sublime – Attributed to the Greek writer Longinus. Refers to Longinus defines the literary sublime as "excellence in language," the "expression of a great spirit" and the power to provoke "ecstasy" in one's readers. Can also be used to invoke terror. Example...

Beowulf

Gothic Novel : Continued “the pursued protagonist” - Refers to the idea of a pursuing force that relentlessly acts in a severely negative manner on a character. This persecution often implies the notion of some sort of a curse or other form of terminal and utterly unavoidable damnation, a notion that usually suggests a return or "hangover" of traditional religious ideology to chastise the character for some real or imagined wrong against the moral order.