To what Extent has Gothic Literature Continued or Changed from the 18th Century to Present Day?

Before discussing what exactly Gothic Literature is, assessing what elements contribute to a Gothic novel is fundamental in examining what conventions are easy to identify it and why it is so different to other genres. For instance, looking at figure 1.1 the highest percentage that readers (based on an audience ranging from different ages) associate with ‘Gothic’, is Castles followed by Graveyards, then Unknown Regions and lastly The Devil. Some examples listed in this chart are conventions in some books like Walpole’s Castle of Otranto, Milton’s Paradise Lost & Alighieri’s Dante’s Inferno and even in more modern works like King’s Pet Cemetery are popular examples that are listed in the Gothic & Horror novels from across the ages.

What is Gothic literature? The definition for the word ‘gothic’ relates to the medieval period architecturally, as buildings with pointed arches featuring rib vaulting is associated with western Europe’s buildings in the 12th and 15th century. The introduction of mansions, castles, dungeons abbeys, dungeons, graveyards have been employed in various poetry such as the graveyard poets who wrote in cemeteries about religion, mortality, morality and the dark and gloomy. Therefore, the medieval architecture embodies the dark and gloomy as well as sublime which is why there is such a fascination with the gothic architecture because it is so unusual and strange which is portrayed in literature which reinforces its popularity. This is emphasized further with sculptures, paintings and portraits which are popular examples of the gothic .Alongside this, historically this relates to the Goths as an extinct East Germanic group during the middle ages . However, what makes gothic literature so different compared to...

... middle of paper ...

... influenced Gothic elements that are followed throughout the book, but it is arguable to state if they are true Gothic Literature texts as one of the finest elements is Romanticism in many Gothic Literature texts. The five-key texts are important because they embody the elements that are in the gothic culture so brilliantly because they capture the raw tone and atmosphere which no other gothic book employs so effectively. Overall, the conclusion is that there is equal continuity and equal change on how Gothic Literature differing from pre-modernist texts to postmodernist texts. However, what is evident that remains is the conventional attire of a Gothic Literature text which is fondly used to capture the eeriness and fearful atmosphere used by classical and postmodernist writers to bring readers that feeling of impending doom and disturbing imagery to their minds.