A list of gothic elements in literature

1. The Gothic
Help with AO4 (The Yellow Wallpaper and The Bloody Chamber)

2. Elements of the Gothic Novel
 GENRE
 Romantic literature
 Reaction against other forms of Romantic literature
 CONTEXT
 Mostly written 1790 – 1830
 Influenced by the past – mediaeval (modern gothic often uses Victoriana)
 SETTING
 Setting vital – atmosphere of horror and dread but also deterioration
 Often a castle (ruined)
 PLOT
 Blurs fantasy and reality
 Pursuit, entrapment, escape

3. Elements of the Gothic Novel
 MEN
 Protagonist is isolated
 Usually dark haired
 Usually of high social rank
 Striking physical presence (often blatantly sexual)
 Consists of actions not feelings
 Male hero has secret past
 Villain is evil
 WOMEN
 Victims
 Often blonde
 Bad women have dark hair and red lips and threaten men sexually and overpower them
 Mothers sometimes feature (obstacles in the way of heroine/victim)

4. Elements of the Gothic Novel
 THEMES
 Depicting a fallen world
 Sublime and supernatural
 Madness, secrets and lies
 Fear
 Savagery
 Doubles/opposites:
 Dark and light
 Frankenstein and Monster
 Dracula and Van Helsing
 Heathcliff and Earnshaw/Hindley and Linton
 Rochester and St John/Jane and Bertha
 Macbeth and Banquo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW3gKKiTvjs