Gothic Literature

The Gothic novel incorporates a mix of romance and horror/terror which makes it gripping to the audience. The gothic horror in novels deals with the illogical aspects within humanity. It looks at the dark side of human nature and links with the fear of supernatural forces. There is always a protagonist who succumbs to the evil of a villain. However there is normally a romantic end for the protagonist with a loved one. We as readers are drawn to this sort of story as the fears are very real in our own lives, they are just exaggerated in the novel.

There are certain elements that are clearly linked with the Gothic.

The setting is always a type of Gothic styled architecture such as castles, cemeteries, haunted houses etc, this portrays the atmosphere of horror and decay and creates a sense of unease. These places are usually described as dark and dull to create this creepy illusion.

Atmosphere is another important element, usually the novel with be full of suspense and mystery. It emphasises the fear of the unknown. They create this with things like the weather such as mist and storms.

The Supernatural or inexplicable events are also present such as ghosts, although some novels will give a natural explanation for the event.

Ancient prophecies and hereditary curses are usually bought into the plot to keep the audience questioning what is going to happen. Dreams are another, famous in novels such as Frankenstein. Other prominent plot features include secrets, psychological and physical terror, double madness and of course death.

Frankenstein  (Mary Shelley 1818)

A compilation of the Romantic and Gothic elements, Frankenstein is a renowned Gothic novel. This is one of the main novels that use the unknown of modern technology within their work, as Victor Frankenstein creates his monster. We also have no idea why he is doing it and why he’s gathering these body parts. It is set within continental Europe such as Germany, which is were the term ‘Gothic’ was originally born. A laboratory is the main “creepy” setting, although laboratories are known now, in these times they weren’t widely known so this added extra mystery for the reader. The main plot of the dead coming back to life is the gives the idea of horror and the connection between the monster and the creator is an uneasy theory. Other plots include the monsters story (when it mentions the De Lacey family), Victor Frankenstein’s and Robert Walton who introduces and closes the novel.

Shelley, M. (no date). Frankenstein . Available: http://www.freebooks.com/horror/frankenstein/. Last accessed 12th February 2015.

Dracula (Bram Stoker 1898)

Since the middle ages the legend of Vampires has been widely credited. The basis of the novel, the Dracula family, is based on a fifteenth-century family. The most famous being Vlad Dracula who was a general who impaled his enemies on long spikes. Count Dracula is meant to be a descendant of Vlad which gives the novel a sense of realism.

Within this novel the location changes from a Castle, which is a traditional gothic setting, to a “modern” Victorian England. This mirrors what was happening in the Victorian Era as they were discovering new scientific and educational breakthroughs that were pushing economic change. The character Van Helsing is the only character that considers ancient legends while using modern medical studies. Other suggestions of modern society include Mina Murray using a new machine for typewriting.

Woman in the Victorian era were either innocent virgins or wives and mothers, if they were anything else they were considered whores. Therefore many believe that Dracula indulges the fantasies of Victorian men, and turns the heroines away from their pure lives. The Theme of Christianity being the symbol of saviour is obviously present in Dracula. The characters use crucifixes and crosses to deter the evil.

Some of the Motifs involved is the obvious fight between good and evil but can also be seen as the opposition of ancient and modern, with Dracula vs Van Helsing.To emphasise the fear and uncertainty Dracula is written in the form of journal entries, as each tell their ideas of the events we get a feel of what the characters are feeling.

The Lit Bitch. (November 24 2010). Review: Dracula by Bram Stoker. Available: http://thelitbitch.com/2010/11/24/i-am-dracula-and-i-bid-you-welcome/. Last accessed 15th February, 2015.

Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Robert Louis Stevenson 1886)

Robert Stevenson wrote this novel after experiencing a nightmare. He wanted to show the power of someone’s alter ego and how it can overwhelm a character. Within the story Dr Jekyll creates a drug to try and separate the two sides however he then struggles to keep Mr Hyde away.

Therefore this novel looks at the good vs evil but within one person and how the evil tries to take over until there is no longer good. It makes the reader question what morals they have themselves, therefore it works on the fear they have of their own darkness.

The book mirrors Victorian society as characters such as Utterson try to preserve Jekyll’s reputation even when they sense the horror that is the truth. Reputation and respect in society was important in this day and age.

It also looks at the extremity of evil within Mr Hyde and how immortal his characters is that he attacks the innocent with no reasoning. First with a little girl and the second with a gentle old man. To emphasis the evil Stevenson uses description of landscapes and weather such as fog and dark streets. The two main settings are Dr Jekyll’s house and his laboratory. They have great juxtaposition with the house being grand and of great wealth like Jekyll’s character while the lab is decaying and neglected so reflects Mr Hyde. They belong to “the same” person however show two very different personalities.  

Wikipedia. (no date ). Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931 film). Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Jekyll_and_Mr._Hyde_(1931_film). Last accessed 15th February, 2015.

Reference:

No name. (no date). Gothic: Origins. Available: http://resources.mhs.vic.edu.au/creating/pages/origins.htm. Last accessed 12th February 2015.

De Vore, D Domenic, A Kwan, A Reidy, N. (no date). The Gothic Novel. Available: http://cai.ucdavis.edu/waters-sites/gothicnovel/155breport.html#pictures. Last accessed 12th February 2015.

Harris, R. (20 December 2013). Elements of the Gothic Novel . Available: http://www.virtualsalt.com/gothic.htm. Last accessed 12th February 2015.

No Name. (31 March 2008). Conventions of the Gothic Genre. Available: http://www.heckmondwikegrammar.net/index.php?p=10727. Last accessed 12th February 2015.

Cliffsnotes (no date). Frankenstein as a Gothic Novel. Available: http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/f/frankenstein/critical-essays/frankenstein-as-a-gothic-novel. Last accessed 12th February 2015.

Mullan, J. (No Date). The Origins Of the Gothic. Available: http://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/the-origins-of-the-gothic. Last accessed 15th February, 2015.

Spark Note Editors . (2003). Dracula. Available: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/dracula/context.html. Last accessed 15th February, 2015.

The British Library Editors. (No date). The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Available: http://www.bl.uk/works/the-strange-case-of-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde. Last accessed 15th February, 2015.

Spark Note Editors . (No Date ). Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Available: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/jekyll/themes.html. Last accessed 15th February, 2015.