1. Dark Romantic (Gothic) Elements

2. Gothic Origins
The scary stories that we enjoy today had their first flowering in English literature in the beginning of the l9th century.

3. Gothic Origins
At that time, such scary stories and novels were termed “Gothic” to refer
back to the Middle Ages, a time seen as barbaric (the original meaning of gothic), unlike the “enlightened” time of the present.

4. Gothic Elements
The following elements were likely to be found in the l9th century.
You can expect to find this sort of thing in most of Edgar Allen Poe’s work, including his detective stories.

5. Symbolism
Dark Romantics always use symbols
Often in the title

6. Mood
Unlike Early Romantic stories, the emphasis is on creating a dark mood
Created through imagery, setting, character & subject matter

7. Setting
Wild and desolate landscapes

8. Setting Ruined abbeys Feudal halls Medieval castles with dungeons
Graveyards

9. Setting Secret passages Winding staircases Sliding panels
Torture chambers

10. Underground rooms and tombs

11. A Catholic or feudal society

12. Supernatural elements

13. A heroine with a trembling sensitivity and her impetuous lover

14. Heroines and heroes in incredible danger

15. Characters
Priests
Monks
Physicians

16. Wicked tyrants
Evil witches
Tyrannical older men

17. Demonic powers

18. Spooky effects and haunting specters

19. Sleep
Dream & death-like states

20. Live burial

21. Doubles/twins

22. Discovery of obscure family ties
Incest

23. Unnatural silences; unspeakable ideas and events

24. Guilt and shame – and the effects of them

25. Secret and undecipherable writings

26. Cats
Bats
Wolves

27. Moonlight

28. Oppressive atmosphere of doom

29. Blood

30. Murder

31. Fear