Elements of the Gothic

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Elements of the Gothic

• Mary Shelleys Frankenstein
• English 12 AP

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On the Gothic

• Gothicism insists that what is customarily
  hallowed as real by society and its language is
  but a small portion of a greater reality of
  monstrous proportion and immeasurable power
  (Bayer-Berenbaum).

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On the Gothic

• Gothic is a genre which fulfills the strange
  human craving for feeling afraid (Woolfe).

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The Age of Reason

• Sometimes referred
• to as the
• Neoclassical Period
• Represented
• Renewed focus on classics (Rome)
• Focus on science and philosophy

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The Age of Reason

• Rome and Roman culture represented civilization
  and order.

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The Age of Reason

• Rene Descartes
• Cogito ergo sum.
• I think therefore I am.
• The rational being, was a supreme being.

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Origins of the Gothic

• The Gothic movement represented a reaction to the
  Age of Reason Enlightenment

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Origins of the Gothic

• Gothic is a reference to the Goths the
  Visigoths and Ostrogoths who sacked and destroyed
  the Roman Empire.

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Origins of the Gothic

• This destruction represented the overthrow of
  reason in favor of the wild, barbarous, and
  chimerical the Gothic

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Origins of the Gothic

• The Age of Reason sparked not only a resurgence
  of classical thought, but classical architecture
  as well.
• Simple lines and shapes

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Origins of the Gothic

• The Gothic style of architecture incorporated
  elaborate designs vaulted ceilings, flying
  buttresses, etc..

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Origins of the Gothic

• The Gothic literary movement followed suit
  abandoning the rational for the irrational and
  mysterious

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The Gothic Novel

• The height of the Gothic movement in literature
  was from 1790-1830.
• The Gothic movement has never completely
  dissipated Stephen King, etc

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Elements of the Gothic Novel

• The gothic genre is characterized by a series of
  commonly held characteristics.
• A novel need not present all of the following
  characteristics to labeled Gothic.

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The Setting

• Setting
• Typically set in mansions or medieval castles
  containing secret passages and trap doors.

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The Setting

• Gothic novels may also be set in wild landscapes
  or wastelands.

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The Setting

• Evokes an atmosphere horror and dread
• Portrays deterioration of the world
• Emphasis on decay, ruin, and death.

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Gothic Characters

• Protagonist
• Isolated from society
• Characterized by fall from grace
• Succumbed to temptation
• Saved by union with loved one

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Gothic Characters

• Villain
• Epitome of evil
• Characterized by Fall from Grace, or inherent
  malevolence

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Gothic Characters

• The Wanderer
• Epitome of isolation
• Wanders the earth in perpetual exile
• Exile typically a form of divine punishment

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Gothic Characters

• Women in Distress
• Lonely, pensive, and oppressed heroine
• Damsel in Distress
• Threatened by powerful, impulsive, tyrannical male

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Gothic Characters

• Doubles or Doppelgangers
• Meaning "double walker" a doppelganger is a
  shadow-self that accompanies every human.
• Doppelgangers can be mischievous or malicious.

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Supernatural Events

• Characterized by supernatural events ghosts,
  chimerical creatures, objects coming to life
• Marked by unnatural events, or acts of nature

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Tone

• Highly sentimental
• Characters often overcome by anger, sorrow,
  surprise, and/or fear

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Tone

• Characters suffer from raw nerves and impending
  doom
• Manic depressive quality

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Theme

• Cosmic Struggle polar opposites struggle
• Over-Reacher Sin of Pride, Delusions of Grandeur

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Themes

• Guilt hero haunted by guilt
• Violence against Innocents
• Death

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Structure and Language

• Structure
• Story within a story within a story
• Language
• Florid language is employed
• Detailed description of setting, characters,
  actions, etc.
• Aids the establishment of tone