The fiction work by Brontë sisters is considered by the critics as one of the finest examples of the Female Gothic literature. This romanticism was also seen in the writings of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1847). He was thoroughly influenced by the Byronic Romanticism which was apparent in his work The Fall of the House of Usher (1839) and The Oval Portrait (1842). Talented author Edgar Allan Poe rose to fame with his own modern reinterpretation of the Gothic genre. The later half of the 19th century was characterized by a slow decline of dominance of the traditional Gothic genre. ![]() Charles Maturin in 1820 wrote Melmoth the Wanderer, and is stated by the critics as the last published work of traditional Gothic genre. Polidori’s The Vampyre (1819) introduced the character of a vampire, which is popular even today. The early part of the 19th century witnessed development of the famous monster Frankenstein through Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein or, The Modern Prometheus (1818) and is believed to be the first science novel. Both the genres were more gruesome and gory than the English Gothic novels. However, in the article On the Supernatural in Poetry, Radcliffe stated that while her novels were described as “novels of terror”, Lewis’ work inclined more towards the horror genre.Īround the same time, “black novel” - variants of Gothic genre - gained popularity in France, while “shudder novel” did the same in Germany. An anti-Catholic approach, black magic, and Satanism were also an integral part of Gothic literature during this time. This book talks about the distrust towards Catholicism and the darker sides of Catholic monks. What followed was the publication of The Monk (1796) written by Matthew Lewis who was inspired by Radcliffe’s writings. She is also widely credited for making the archetypal Gothic villain ever so popular. Taking a cue from this setting, Ann Radcliffe in her novels, A Sicilian Romance (1790), The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794), and The Italian (1797) introduced detailed explanation of the supernatural setting. Horace Walpole through his novel The Castle of Otranto initiated a trend of bringing together a setting of mystery and suspense, trapdoors, ancient prophecies, and beautiful heroines. As aforementioned, back then, the Gothic novels were marked by prominent sounds and smell, along with a strikingly horror and terrorizing environment. During the Romantic era, many Gothic romance-based novels were published. The 18th century marked the beginning of the Gothic era. Suspense in the form of flickering candles, shadows, way shown by a beam of moonlight, and labyrinths.A young, beautiful woman with a mysterious past and a tendency to faint and cry.A headstrong villain driven by both passion and revenge.The male protagonist who often rescues a damsel in distress and whose identity is disclosed at the end of the novel.Occult events, such as magic, spirits, monsters, non-living things coming to life, and other supernatural expressions.Omens, curses, and visions preceding a climax, or tragedy.Extreme scenery, like dense and foggy forests, rugged mountains, stormy weather, and the like.The castle often comprises trapdoors, secret rooms, mysterious passages, and ruined portions, all of which are gloomy and dimly lit. Old, abandoned castle, monastery, or an abbey in which the novel is set.A typical Gothic novel has the following elements: The novel, often considered as the first novel of Gothic romance, makes use of the medieval Gothic architectural styles and design. The first form of Gothic literature began in the year 1764 when Horace Walpole published his novel The Castle of Otranto. Thus, setting the novel in a Gothic building helped authors to assemble the emotions of awe, despair, fear, isolation, and suspense in an easier manner. The ruined buildings during the medieval times were a strong source of inspiration for writers with even the castles being named with a reference to the architectural style. Gothic literature is closely related with Victorian Gothic, or Gothic Revival architectural movement of the same era. The term Gothic was later used during medieval times in the field of architecture for the construction of buildings with pointed arches and vaults. The word goth has its roots in the name of a German tribe called the Goths. Here is an in-depth look at some interesting facts about the same. There are certain prominent traits about this literature that sets it apart from the rest even today. This literature has even influenced other different genres of writing styles. ![]() ![]() Amongst the many facets, Gothic literature is globally famous due to the distinct gloomy and dark nature associated with it. Gothic culture has always drawn attention in terms of various aspects related to music, fashion, and its unique style of writing.
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