According to Fig.1.3 the responses collected by this questionnaire establishes that some people believe that Classical Literature – as in Gothic Literature- appears to not be as popular as 21st century Horror Literature. This was targeted at different audiences of 16 to 45 indicating that it goes against the prejudice that younger generations go for modern texts and older generations go for classical texts.
Fig 1.3
The term ‘Other’ indicates other genres like Sci-Fi, Fantasy etc. being better than both Horror novels and Classical novels with 29% of people believing that they feel it’s an enjoyable read.
The definition of the Horror genre differs completely to the Gothic genre. This idea of how the Gothic novel transformed from various architectures based around impending castles and morality tales, to the idea of monsters, fear, and repugnance. Therefore, it is interesting to notice the change from how the genre has developed from arguably the 17th century to the 20th century, where vampires, werewolf’s, and other monsters are very popular with teen audiences especially.
However, it is arguable that looking at Shelley’s Frankenstein from a modern perspective demonstrates the idea that it is a novel torn between gothic and horror as it is one of the rare novels that demonstrate gothic elements and Horror elements. Therefore, there is some continuity to how fear is presented in Frankenstein & The Woman in Black demonstrating that these two novels are examples of a postmodernist novel and pre-modernist novel, which is very rare.
Although , what determines the roots of the horror genre, the explorations of the gothic genre has already been investigated therefore, to established the difference between the dying genre and the ...
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... a new form of terror literature which mixtures with thrillers, but still provides the same quality and emotions as terror literature has done throughout the decades.
According to figure 1.4 this explores how enjoyable the selected people have enjoyed reading the novels that they have come across. The responses range from ages like 21 to 63 who have read the ins and outs of these books and have come up with their own interpretation about the novels that some consider ‘Classic Gothic Lit’ and others consider not good like the short percentage of people who said that Hill’s The Woman in Black is not an enjoyable read as well as, The Monk. However, the largest percentage that people thought was an enjoyable read was Stoker’s Dracula alongside Shelley’s Frankenstein which are both considered such classic Gothic Literature whether or not people enjoy reading or not.
Gothic literature, such as The Night Circus, “The Devil and Tom Walker”, “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment”, and “Masque of the Red Death”, are known for incorporating gothic elements such as the supernatural, death, and fascination with the past.
One of the powerful images conjured up by the words ‘gothic novel’ is that of a shadowy form rising from a mysterious place, Frankenstein’s monster rising from a laboratory table, Dracula creeping from his coffin, or, more generally, the slow opening of a crypt to reveal a dark and obscure figure, which all share in common the concept of Social Ostracisation both to the creator and creature. Gothic writing can be dated back for centuries, Shelly immediately comes to mind with Frankenstein as well as The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis and Dracula by Bram Stoker all can be associated with Social Ostracisation. The concept of alienating one to refuge, dismissal, and pain are all themes in these novels.
When coming to the conclusion, it is interesting a range of opinions about whether or not Gothic Literature is losing his popularity or is still popular as ever. A range of opinions inform the judgment to be made about Gothic Literature. Overall, the responses gathered come up with the idea that Gothic Literature is losing its popularity, although, according to figure 2.2 this is supported by figures made in 2007 to 2008 which establishes that since then there have been more novels that have come out which either support the argument that gothic literature is popular or not.
Romanticism played a large role in the creation of gothic literature, and it was considered to be “a lunatic fringe version of romanticism” (Tiffin). Gothic novels often had a powerful unleashing of emotions to very extreme levels “beyond social constraining” (Tiffin). The genre’s character often had an excess of a specific type (Tiffin), and in an analysis of Frankenstein and Northanger Abbey, this excess can be seen in Frankenstein’s ambition and Catherine’s curiosity.
The Victorian Gothic era holds great interest to me, due to the horrific imagery conveyed in texts such as Poe’s ‘The Raven’ or Stevenson’s ‘Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ as it’s interesting to compare this to the atmosphere projected in contemporary novels like Banks ‘The Wasp Factory’. This may explain my enthusiasm for thriller pieces as I find them to be the most rewarding if you can evoke a genuine feeling of suspense in the reader. I do find it hard to limit myself to one genre as I enjoy a wide selection of literature ranging from playwrights such as Tennessee Williams and Shakespeare, to the poetry of Larkin and Rossetti. These varied mediums have intrigued me into widening my understanding of English, as I’m enthusiastic to share ideas with other
The blending of terror and romance in Gothic Literature was used in a unique combination to attract and entice the reader into the story. The terror in the literature helps the reader explore their imagination and form their own picture setting of what is happening. Using romance in the story also keeps the reader's attention because of the unknown and the curiosity of what happens next. The Gothic writing became popular after the Romantic period because readers were still a...
Word by word, gothic literature is bound to be an immaculate read. Examining this genre for what it is could be essential to understanding it. “Gothic” is relating to the extinct East Germanic language, people of which known as the Goths. “Literature” is defined as a written work, usually with lasting “artistic merit.” Together, gothic literature combines the use of horror, death, and sometimes romance. Edgar Allan Poe, often honored with being called the king of horror and gothic poetry, published “The Fall of House Usher” in September of 1839. This story, along with many other works produced by Poe, is a classic in gothic literature. In paragraph nine in this story, one of our main characters by the name of Roderick Usher,
Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein has been deemed a classic gothic novel. Her monster has frightened many generations throughout the ages, and lingers as a warning of science gone too far. But why did her monster survive the ages? I believe that Mary Shelley's monster managed to hold our attention and chill us to the bone, because she weaved a tale that incorporated the genres of gothic, and romantic literature into a narrative of complete terror, and psychological torment that managed to surpass any other gothic literature of her time.
Gothic imagery and themes include castles, coffins, monsters and strange lands and pose the background of the classic Gothic novel. The Gothic element is synonymous with the horror and uncanny- a feeling rather than form, in which transgression is the central topic (Wisker 7). The vampire is a figure that transgresses society’s limits to form the central dynamic of the Gothic. “We enjoy seeing the limit transgressed- it horrifies us and reinforces our sense of boundaries and normalcy” (Halberstam 13). Assuming that Bram Stoker’s Dracula sets the archetype of the vampire, it is clear that modern vampires have demonstrated a decrease in the Gothic horror despite similarities in the Gothic imagery
Gothicism has been a very popular genre of book, through past and present, and Bram Stoker’s, Dracula, is no exception. One of the most widely read novels of all time, Dracula possesses all the features of a classic gothic novel. The various dark and dreary features throughout the entire novel paints a perfect gothic picture for the reader and contribute to the mixture of feelings One gets while reading Dracula. The first feature of Gothicism found in Dracula is a constant and oppressive darkness. This feature is a reoccurring theme that is related to everything in the novel from the characters to the events that take place. Another feature found in Dracula is presence of a ‘supernatural’ villain. Supernaturalism also surrounds the villain, Count Dracula in the countryside of Transylvania with the numerous superstitions that consume the local inhabitants. Finally, the reference to sleeping, dreaming and the blurriness of reality faced by some of the characters adds eeriness and unrest, enhancing the gothic premise of the novel. These examples are all traits of which gothic literature consists of. Through this paper, I will prove that due to the use of darkness, the supernatural and the blurred sense of reality, Dracula is a prime example of gothic literature.
By investigating the emotional resonances of historical narratives, the Gothic novel questions how we as readers might arrive at a particular version of history. If the Gothic novel locates authentic historical representation in the archive, however, the act of interpreting the archive is almost never fully realized; interpretation in the Gothic novel is always a partial, interrupted, obscure process. This tendency indicate...
... genre would have evoked immense terror whereas at present the novel will not have the same effect as horror is popular in this civilization.
There are several important tropes that crop up continually in Gothic romances. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is considered to be a hallmark of Gothic horror in the sphere of literary tradition.
Gothic Literature is able to be explained in many different ways using different elements such as: violence, death, monsters, ghosts, and psychological issues. All of those elements were seen in the four different stories that I read. The first piece of writing that I read is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The other writings that relate to my outside reading book are: "Don't ask Jack" by Neil Gaiman, "The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe, and partly "The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe.
Jack Morgan, The Biology of Horror: Gothic Literature and Film (Carbondale, IL: Southern Illinois University Press, 2002) null03, Questia, Web, 29 May 2010.