Gothic Literature Characteristcs

The Artist

Concept of the Artist as the ultimate outsider, often haunted by his own creation.

The Outsider

A preoccupation with the outside, whether the outsider is a stationary figure who tries to hide his difference, or a wandering figure who seeks some kind salvation - can also be an individual who for whatever reason moves outside of traditional “norms.”

The Artist

Concept of the Artist as the ultimate outsider, often haunted by his own creation.

The Outsider

A preoccupation with the outside, whether the outsider is a stationary figure who tries to hide his difference, or a wandering figure who seeks some kind salvation - can also be an individual who for whatever reason moves outside of traditional “norms.”

The Sublime

A landscape that simulates spiritual awareness, especially a landscape subject to nature’s volubility - landscapes are alienating, desolate, isolated, full of menace - mountains are often associated with the sublime, because they make your eye go up.

Decay and Ruin

Architectural ruins, moral ruin, physical ruin, hereditary ruin, emotional ruin, ethical ruin, process of decay - reminder of the futlity of human achievment

Excess

Lots of excess emotion, spectacle, “over-the-top” elements

Fairy Tale Elements

Includes things (rather than people) that rise up and acquire power over people who gradually lose or give up control over themselves.

Fragmentation

Torturous, fragmented, incomplete narrative relating mysterious incidents, horrible images, and life-threatening pursuits - fear of imprisonment, entrapment, rape, personal violation, triumph of evil over good and chaos over order.

“Don’t know what’s true and what’s not”

Inversion

Inversion, or turning “upside down” of “normal” circumstances (the swooning hero - the strong woman) - Inversion of perceived “normal” relationships.

Melancholy

A result of dwelling on the futility of human achievement.

Power

Man’s power over nature - nature’s power over man - power over the supernatural - also includes themes of dominance and submission.

Sensibility Shift

Textual focus on the villain whose capacity for feeling is dormant, perverted, or depleted rather than on the often passive, self-regarding hero.

Sexual Fantasy

Primarily masculine, wherein a dominating & insensitive male villain holds a helpless, innocent, & fearful virgin captive.

Supernatural Elements

Specters, monsters, demons, corpses, bleeding ghosts, skeletons, evil aristocrats, monks & nuns, bandits, fainting heroines, mad scientists, fathers, husbands, madmen, criminals, & the monstrous double - embody themes such as false inheritance, blood guilt, retribution, mistaken identity and incest.

Theatricality

Shocks, emotional thrills, manipulation, of characters, mechanistic plots

Transgression

Particularly idea of sexual transgression.