Gothic Literature The Gothic Genre - 1130 Words

Katelyn Tiamson English Honors IV Mrs. Schroder 8 December 2016 Frankenstein Gothic literature is a style of writing that contains elements of both horror and romance. This genre allows readers to experience a mix of horror and romance intertwined. Within the gothic genre there are elements of supernatural events, beings, and gloomy day settings. This style of writing became popular in the late 18th century and early 19 century. Many give credit to it’s uprising to author Horace Walpole, who wrote The Castle of Otranto (1764). His book contains all the elements that constitute the gothic genre. Frankenstein fits perfectly into the gothic category because the gloomy and mysterious setting is placed where most readers think of it as†¦show more content†¦This hints to the reader that Victor is in a graveyard and has little regard for human life when he calls the once living food for the worms. Gothic literature has a strong presence of the supernatural world and with that comes mystery. Supernatural can be defined by events that science and nature cannot explain, these event are considered magical or otherworldly. Within this work of literature Victor Frankenstein raises the dead to create a monster. Shelly makes this a mystery to the readers because she never goes into detail on the science of how to create this being. â€Å"So much has been done, exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein-more, far more will I achieve treading in the steps already marked, I will pioneer a new way, explore unknown powers and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation† ( Shelly 46). This quote lets the reader sees how Frankenstein has an interest in a supernatural world and will stop at nothing to create his monster even if it means venturing into the unknown of science. In order for Victor to achieve his desire of bringing someone back from the dead, Shelly lets the reader knows this creature was made by using many different body parts from different people, â€Å"I collected bones from charnel houses and disturbed, with profane fingers, the tremendous secrets of the human frame† (55 Shelly). This scene is especially gruesome because it gives theShow MoreRelatedThe Southern Gothic Genre Of Literature1528 Words   |  7 PagesThe southern gothic genre of literature can be described as â€Å"plots involving violence or hidden trauma, eccentric and often psychologically troubled characters, and an atmosphere of repression and decay† (Oxford Dictionary). This dark, depressing theme found in literature is one that highlights the harsh realities that characters face in their own geographic area. It is vital for southern gothic stories to incorporate the theme of some type of external decay. In the texts Salvage the Bones and SwamplandiaRead MoreEssay on The Develoment of the Horror Genre1076 Words   |  5 Pages The term Gothic is significant f or the understanding of the origins and development of the horror genre. Both of these genres differ, whilst Gothic literature is the text that explores the frightening extremes in mankind, horror focuses more on the unknown. The Gothic horror genre has changed over time and retains importance because it is the antecedent of the horror genre. Factors such as the definition of the word Gothic, the archetypes of the genre, and its social and historical contexts, haveRead MoreThe Characteristics Of American Gothic Literature930 Words   |  4 Pagesattraction? Gothic Literature incorporates many unique characteristics that keeps the reader intrigued. Some examples of the characteristics that may be included in American Gothic are: fright, uncertainty, darkness, and isolation. The evolution of entertainment media has created a new demand for the genre’s darkness and horror. Some questions that will be answered are -- What is American Gothic and how has the genre been defined? Is the genre still relevant today? What is it about gothic tales thatRead MorePoetry Is Not Just The Vision Of The Writer1036 Words   |  5 Pages poetry can grip the heart—the mind can be an awfully dark place. Within gothic poetry the horror and fears of the poet lie just beyond the words of the poem itself. The words are emotional viscera given form. Poetry is aesthetic and inspiring and its brevity extends it to forms beyond itself. The works of romantic poets have been recycled and reimagined as a result of our continued love affair with the ideas of the gothic and supernatural. The works of various authors, directors, artists, and musiciansRead MoreThe Qualification of Daphne Du Mauriers Rebecca as a Gothic Novel851 Words   |  3 PagesRebecca as a Gothic Novel One of mankind’s most valuable gifts is the ability to feel emotions and be able to react to them in a variety of ways. One of these emotions can be recognized as horror. Horror can be directly related as an immense sensation of fear, anxiety, and despair. Horror is adored by some and abhorred by others. Most importantly, there exist many sources for frightening media and information. One genre of literature that tends to provide horror can be known as Gothic LiteratureRead MoreThe Secret Life of Bees and How It Is Classified Under the Southern Gothic Genre792 Words   |  4 PagesThe Secret Life of Bees within the Southern Gothic Genre Most southern gothic literature deals with the disturbed and flawed characters; one of the most famous writers of this genre is Edgar Allan Poe. The southern gothic genre is characterized by grotesque, gruesome, or unbelievable incidents. The southern gothic genre is portrayed in many ways. Lily, the main character, goes through many difficult life experiences and learns many tough lessons. This book does not have a happy ending like a fairyRead MoreMagic Realism And Gothic Literature905 Words   |  4 Pagesthe traits of gothic literature and magic realism because they both show life threatening situations. It is also different however, because Magical Realism is more relatable to a person with a normal life that has been interrupted with strange events, while in Gothic Literature one cannot connect as much to the character’s life. Gothic literature is pleasing horror or dark literature. Edgar Allen Poe’s The Fall Of The House Of Usher† is a good example of gothic literature because it hasRead MoreWhat is meant by the term gothic1187 Words   |  5 Pagesthe term ‘gothic’? How far and in what ways is ‘Frankenstein’ a gothic text? Gothic literature, which is sometimes referred to as Gothic horror, is a genre that links horror and romance into one tale of ‘transgressing the boundaries’. Gothicism was unheard of until the late 1700’s, this movement into a new genre of literature. This was pioneered by the English author Horace Walpole, in his famous fictional book ‘The Castle of Otranto’, or as Walpole alternatively titled it ‘a Gothic story’. HoraceRead MoreThe Grotesque In Gothic Literature : The Characteristics Of Gothic Literature1600 Words   |  7 Pagesgrotesque in gothic is usually the behavior of a man (or women,) who battle with an internal conflict and they are also, usually sick. When an individual reads gothic stories, one can sometimes miss-interpret what they have read. It is common knowledge that when we are younger we understand things differently from when we grot be adults. We can infer that if one was too read gothic literature as a child, one wo uld find it humorous, versus if that individual was to read gothic literature as an adultRead MoreThe American Gothic in The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe1539 Words   |  7 Pagesend of the eighteenth century brought about the beginning of a new genre of literature in America; the American Gothic. Already a popular genre in Europe, this new strain of literature in America arose to create a rather abrupt contrast to the Enlightenment foundations upon which American was born. Instead of concerning subjects of liberty and the pursuit of happiness; key elements of the American dream, American Gothic literature embodies and gives voice to the dark nightmare that is the underside