Writing that employs dark and picturesque scenery, startling and melodramatic narrative devices, and an overall atmosphere of mystery, fear, and dread. Often, a Gothic novel or story will revolve around a large, ancient house that conceals a terrible secret or serves as the refuge of an especially frightening and threatening character.
Unnerving Atmosphere | Dark, Oppressive and/or Extreme Setting |
Young Innocent Hero/Heroine |
Villain/Monster |
---|---|---|---|
Societal Taboos | Sexual Power | Mystery & Fear | Supernatural/Paranormal |
Omens/Curses |
Damsel in Distress |
Emotional Distress | Anti-hero |
Romance | The Uncanny | Social Upheaval/Crisis | |
Doubles/Recurrences | Power & Constraint | Place & Time | The Sublime |
The British Library:
VIDEO: Gothic: The Dark Heart of Film:
This 4 minute video shows many of the motifs that define Gothic works.
How many can you identify?
Vanity Fair:
VIDEO: A History of Horror Movies: 1896-2018
Explores the evolution of horror in connection with societal issues.