This document discusses the Gothic literature movement, which focuses on elements of decay, death, terror, chaos, mystery and fear. It is believed to have originated with Horace Walpole's 1764 novel The Castle of Otranto. This genre grew in response to late 18th and early 19th century historical, psychological and political contexts. Gothic literature can include poetry, drama, novels and short stories set in isolated places like old castles, and features supernatural elements and a combination of horror and romance. Representative authors and works discussed include Walpole's The Castle of Otranto and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.

2. A literary movement that focused on elements like decay, death, terror,
chaos, mystery and fear.
As a genre it is believed to have been invented by the English author
Horace Walpole, with his novel The Castle of Otranto.
This Genre grew in response to the historical, psychological and
political contexts of the late 18thc and early 19th c.

3.  Gothic literature can be in the forms of poetry, drama, novel and short stories.
 The actions take place in and around an old castle, sometimes abandoned and
sometimes occupied. (Isolated)
 It has supernatural elements like ghosts, demons, inanimate objects coming to
life and anything unexplainable.
 It can be a combination of elements of both horror and romance.
main Features

4. The narration of gothic literature may be highly sentimental.
The characters are often overcome by anger, sorrow, surprise and especially terror.
A lonely, pensive and oppressed heroine is often the central figure of the novel, so her sufferings are
even more pronounced and the focus of attention.
Metonymies in gothic literature all suggest some element of mystery, danger or supernatural.

5. Representative authors
and their works
Frankenstein
Horace Walpole Mary Shelley

6.  He was born in London.
 He is the writerof first gothicnovel, TheCastleof Otranto.
• What influencedhis writing?
- Anightmare he dreamed & the building within itself.
• Whythis novelis important?
-It was the first, famous gothic novel ever written in the
romanticism movement.

7.  Thenoveldrawson heroicromancesas wellaslegendsandfolklore.
 It containsgloomy weather, clankingchains, midnightbellsand….
 Setting: An old castle in Italy
 Main Characters : Manfred, his wife Hippolita, their daughter Mathilda,
Princess Isabella, Theodore.
 On Conrad's wedding day a giant helmet kills him and his father Manfred
is getting nervous because of an old prophecy.
 He decides to marry Isabella but she escapes with a young peasant's help.

8. Mary Shelley - Frankenstein
MaryShelley’s biggest achievementwas thecreationofthe most
memorablemonster,Frankenstein.
Many critics suggest that it is the first modern work of science fiction,
but the features of her novel such as supernatural elements and emphasis
on isolation, placed it within the context of the Gothic.
She adds complexity to her writing style by choosing to
create 3 different narrators in the story.
This narrating structure creates an unclear timeline, but it
displays qualities of characters as well.
Her style is rich in vocabulary and is highly descriptive
especially when describing a landscape.

9. Main Themes
Terror and Horror Appearance and reality
Terror:
• Grows out of suspense.
• Terror remains discreet and seeks unity of
tone.
Horror:
• Produces disgust.
• Is more related to being shocked or
scared.
Appearance :
• Is the way of looking that is not real,
and is the way that someone or
something looks.
Reality:
• A true situation that exists or
happens.

10. setting
• The action takes place in and around an old castle or an old mansion, or
the ruins of an old castle or mansion.
• The goal of the dark and mysterious setting is to create a sense of unease
contributing toward the atmospheric element of fear and dread.
Diction
• In gothic novel writers use archaic and formal language,
particularly in dialogues
Narrative
• The use of the unreliable narrator in Gothic fiction is
often a device through which the emotional instability of
the protagonist is conveyed.

11. Thanks
for your consideration
Mina Mahmoudi