The Gothic writing style can be identified by specific characteristics common across Gothic literature. As mentioned above, these elements are influenced by the romantic emphasis on nature, emotion, individualism, and the revival of medieval architecture. These themes include Gothic representations of setting, character, supernatural and paranormal elements, psychological trauma, and a deliberate amalgamation of history and fiction.
Setting
Gothic settings involve places that evoke a sense of fear and a frightful atmosphere. The landscapes of Gothic literature are typically dangerous and dark, including things that can harm humans, animals, or in general, the supernatural. There is a sense of mystery inherent to the setting.
When reading Gothic fiction, one will confront natural elements such as the decay of an old castle or the loneliness of a high mountain. These places are hidden, austere, and a reader would likely not want to visit if they had the chance.
Characters
The hero of Gothic literature is often witty enough to deal with the harsh landscape that they confront. They are isolated and forced to confront the macabre aspects of their nature. The hero will inevitably challenge the villain, supernatural, natural, or human, and overcome the critical challenges through self-sacrifice. On occasion, Gothic literature embraces the fact that there is no happy ending, wherein the supposed protagonist falls prey to a real downfall due to either circ*mstance or choice.
Gothic villains are some of the most eccentric characters in fiction, embracing the epitome of evil through arguments of sound reason. These arguments are representative of the enlightenment movement, justifying malevolence through an argument that is well-formulated and clear. Other archetypes exist in Gothic literature, such as the following:
- The clown villain who takes on representation as an evil force
- The stupid servant who accidentally suggests clues to the mystery; a technique adopted later by the mystery/thriller genre
- The lonely wanderer, often exiled from their original home
Supernatural/Paranormal Elements
The supernatural or paranormal elements in Gothic literature can take the form of the villain. In this case, the villain is defeated by self-sacrifice, which can be recognized as the supposed antidote to enlightenment rationality and well-developed arguments. Supernatural elements in Gothic fiction can also take the form of omens or prophecies. When such claims are made, they are almost always fulfilled in the form of a tragedy. Additionally, these magical elements build suspense and are a large part of the forces of evil at play.
Psychological Trauma
Psychological illnesses play a big part as humanity's problems are exaggerated in this form of fiction. As a result, man's issues essentially always faced are exaggerated because of the Gothic undertones. The issues Gothic literature addresses, when carried out, take on the form of mental illnesses.
For example, a topic like death is enough to paralyze an individual with crippling anxiety, and severe loneliness can cause someone to slip into a depressive state. Gothic literature looks at what an individual's mind might be like, with indulgent prose that reflects the wandering mind of insanity.
Amalgamation of History and Fiction
The development of Gothic literature directly results from political, social, and psychological forces in the 18th and 19th centuries. As always, art predicted a culture shift; this form of literature did this by rejecting the rationality and reason associated with "good" at the time, developing a preference for following one's passion.
The inclusion of historical details regarding death and terror that humans experienced throughout history seemed like a confrontation of one's past that the current times did not encourage, which was the frightening allure of Gothic literature.
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
