1. By Emma, Bailey and Omonye
The Gothic Novel
By Emma, Bailey and Omonye

2. Overview
The idea of a gothic novel was introduced by Horace Walpole, who wrote the first gothic story entitled The Castle of Otranto in 1764, and who was shortly followed by successful authors such as Ann Radcliffe and William Beckford. The genre is typically a romanticism of a horror story, usually involving supernatural or mysterious elements.
The gothic genre became particularly popular in the 19th and 20th century and produced renowned works like Frankenstein and Dracula.
The idea of a gothic novel was introduced by Horace Walpole, who wrote the first gothic story entitled The Castle of Otranto in 1764, and who was shortly followed by successful authors such as Ann Radcliffe and William Beckford. The genre is typically a romanticism of a horror story, usually involving supernatural or mysterious elements.
The gothic genre became particularly popular in the 19th and 20th century and produced renowned works like Frankenstein and Dracula.

3. Origins
While Horace Walpole was the author to set the trend, literary gothic culture was first influenced by gothic architecture, including cathedrals, ancient or decayed ruins and mansions. This form of art was first introduced in the 1200s, during a French cultural renaissance. These dark and mysterious locations inspired authors to write equally sombre stories to accompany them, which is why most gothic novels are set in castles or mansions.
While Horace Walpole was the author to set the trend, literary gothic culture was first influenced by gothic architecture, including cathedrals, ancient or decayed ruins and mansions. This form of art was first introduced in the 1200s, during a French cultural renaissance. These dark and mysterious locations inspired authors to write equally sombre stories to accompany them, which is why most gothic novels are set in castles or mansions.

4. Elements of Gothic Fiction
Settings
Set in gothic castles or area surrounding it. Often scenes are set in graveyards to enhance the supernatural element of the story. The building is often very large but quite empty, and filled with secret passages and trap doors.
Characters
The main characters are typically women in distress. Often they are left or feel alone or abandoned in a genuinely terrifying situation. They are also usually innocent or naïve at the beginning of the novel and become more frightened throughout, and this is done to create empathy, fear and sympathy for the character. The antagonists of the story are usually mysterious with an unknown past. They are often reserved and distant, but have a profound impact on the character, their narrative and emotions, and the plot of the story.
Settings
Set in gothic castles or area surrounding it. Often scenes are set in graveyards to enhance the supernatural element of the story. The building is often very large but quite empty, and filled with secret passages and trap doors.
Characters
The main characters are typically women in distress. Often they are left or feel alone or abandoned in a genuinely terrifying situation. They are also usually innocent or naïve at the beginning of the novel and become more frightened throughout, and this is done to create empathy, fear and sympathy for the character. The antagonists of the story are usually mysterious with an unknown past. They are often reserved and distant, but have a profound impact on the character, their narrative and emotions, and the plot of the story.

5. Sublime Terror
“No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.”
The idea of ‘Sublime Terror’ was first proposed by Edmund Burke in He suggested that to have a sublime feeling is to experience the most intense emotions possible, and the strongest emotion of all is that of fear or terror.
Many books and artistic works try to recreate this feeling. Being so intense, the ‘sublime’ high that we get from it is often one we remember.
The idea of ‘Sublime Terror’ was first proposed by Edmund Burke in He suggested that to have a sublime feeling is to experience the most intense emotions possible, and the strongest emotion of all is that of fear or terror.
Many books and artistic works try to recreate this feeling. Being so intense, the ‘sublime’ high that we get from it is often one we remember.

6. Literary techniques
Foreshadowing – there are sometimes minor unexplained events in the novel which suggest the following plot. For example, even the title The Turn of the Screw foreshadows the governess’ attempts to make the children confess.
Pathetic fallacy – The author may use the weather to reflect the mood of the character or situation, for example when the character feels sad or depressed, the weather is rainy.
Frame narrative – many gothic novels use this technique of a narrative of a narrative, of someone telling a story in another person’s point of view after the even has taken place. This happens in the Turn of the Screw, as Douglas reads the story of the Governess twenty years after it was recorded.
Foreshadowing – there are sometimes minor unexplained events in the novel which suggest the following plot. For example, even the title The Turn of the Screw foreshadows the governess’ attempts to make the children confess.
Pathetic fallacy – The author may use the weather to reflect the mood of the character or situation, for example when the character feels sad or depressed, the weather is rainy.
Frame narrative – many gothic novels use this technique of a narrative of a narrative, of someone telling a story in another person’s point of view after the even has taken place. This happens in the Turn of the Screw, as Douglas reads the story of the Governess twenty years after it was recorded.
Supernatural suspense – authors often build tension using the supernatural. Due to the unexplained mystery of ghosts and supernatural beings, the author uses creative techniques to frighten the reader, for example, making ghosts appear and disappear without a trace.
Supernatural suspense – authors often build tension using the supernatural. Due to the unexplained mystery of ghosts and supernatural beings, the author uses creative techniques to frighten the reader, for example, making ghosts appear and disappear without a trace.

7. Comparison to Other Gothic Texts
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen was written in 1817 and was a well-known and highly acclaimed text for its time. It features many gothic elements, but was written to be a mockery or parody of the gothic horror genre.
If Henry James took inspiration from Jane Austen, he may have not have meant for the Turn of the Screw to be taken very seriously.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë was also quite a gothic tale. It was written 51 years before the Turn of the Screw in 1947, and similarly to the Turn of the Screw is depicts a governess who throughout the novel becomes more and more distraught and has a brief interaction with the supernatural, which leaves the author unaware of whether she has actually experienced it or if it was a product of her hysteria. This again could be a novel that Henry James drew ideas from.
Comparison to Other Gothic Texts
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen was written in 1817 and was a well-known and highly acclaimed text for its time. It features many gothic elements, but was written to be a mockery or parody of the gothic horror genre.
If Henry James took inspiration from Jane Austen, he may have not have meant for the Turn of the Screw to be taken very seriously.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë was also quite a gothic tale. It was written 51 years before the Turn of the Screw in 1947, and similarly to the Turn of the Screw is depicts a governess who throughout the novel becomes more and more distraught and has a brief interaction with the supernatural, which leaves the author unaware of whether she has actually experienced it or if it was a product of her hysteria. This again could be a novel that Henry James drew ideas from.

8. Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley as a competition entry.
Facts
There is a group called the Gothic Association which is dedicated to learning everything about the gothic genre.
Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley as a competition entry.
The word ‘gothic’ is derived from ‘Goth’, an early Germanic tribe that brought on the fall of the Roman Empire. For this reason the portrayal of human nature in gothic novels is often savage and violent.
In early gothic literature, female authors often used male pseudonyms in order to get their work published.
There is a group called the Gothic Association which is dedicated to learning everything about the gothic genre.
Frankenstein was written by Mary Shelley as a competition entry.
The word ‘gothic’ is derived from ‘Goth’, an early Germanic tribe that brought on the fall of the Roman Empire. For this reason the portrayal of human nature in gothic novels is often savage and violent.
In early gothic literature, female authors often used male pseudonyms in order to get their work published.
William Beckford, a famous gothic author, had a gothic tower build specifically for his residence.
William Beckford, a famous gothic author, had a gothic tower build specifically for his residence.