The Gothic - key info

What was the first Gothic novel?

'The Castle of Otranto' by Horace Walpole (1764)

Where did the term Gothic originate from?

The Germanic tribe called 'The Goths'

Define horror vs terror

Horror: fear generated from a physical shock actually seen or experienced

Terror: fear generated from what is obscure, an anticipated threat preying on the imagination

What is a key quote for horror?

"Horror contracts, freezes and nearly annihilates the soul" - Ann Radcliffe

What is a key quote for terror?

"Terror expands the soul, and awakens the faculties to a high degree of life" - Ann Radcliffe

Define the sublime

A sense of awe, astonishment and being overwhelmed in the face of something much bigger than ourselves

Define binary oppositions

The structured pairing of 2 concepts that are opposite in meaning

Define liminality

The experience of being on a threshold or boundary

Where are Gothic novels typically set?

- Southern European countries

- Medieval period

- Associated with Catholicism

Who wrote 'The Monk' and when?

Matthew Lewis (1796)

Summarise 'The Monk'

- Ambrosio (villain) lusts after the pure and noble Antonia (heroine)
- Mathilda, a deceiving seductress, tempts Ambrosio and helps him rape Antonia who he then discovers is his sister
- Ambrosio is found guilty of various other crimes within the monastery and so an angry mob sets out to destroy him

Who wrote 'Mysteries of Udolpho' and when?

Ann Radcliffe (1794)

Summarise 'The Mysteries of Udolpho'

- Orphaned Emily (heroine) is pursued by Montoni (villain) within his desolate castle of Udolpho
- Emily maintains her virtue and eventually escapes Udolpho and reunites with her lover, Valancourt

What is the 'Male Gothic' genre?

A sub-genre of Gothic literature with brutal violence against women

(e.g. 'The Monk')

What is the 'Female Gothic' genre?

A sub-genre of Gothic literature with a focus on the female struggle against patriarchal domination

(e.g. 'The Mysteries of Udolpho')

What is a key critical response to 'The Monk'?

"Poison for youth" - Coleridge