Dark Romantic (Gothic) Elements

Gothic Origins• The scary stories

that we enjoy today had their first flowering in English literature in the beginning of the l9th century.

Gothic Origins

• At that time, such scary stories and novels were termed “Gothic” to refer

back to the Middle Ages, a time seen as barbaric (the original meaning of gothic), unlike the “enlightened” time of the present.

Gothic Elements

• The following elements were likely to be found in the l9th century.

You can expect to find this sort of thing in most of Edgar Allen Poe’s work, including his detective stories.

Symbolism•Dark Romantics always use symbols•Often in the title

Mood•Unlike Early Romantic stories, the emphasis is on creating a dark mood

•Created through imagery, setting, character & subject matter

Setting

•Wild and desolate landscapes

Setting•Ruined abbeys

•Feudal halls•Medieval castles with dungeons

•Graveyards

Setting•Secret passages

•Winding staircases

•Sliding panels•Torture chambers

Underground rooms and

tombs

A Catholic or feudal society

Supernatural

elements

A heroine with a

trembling sensitivity

and her impetuous

lover

Heroines and heroes in incredible

danger

Characters

•Priests•Monks•Physicians

•Wicked tyrants•Evil witches•Tyrannical older men

Demonic powers

Spooky effects

and haunting specters

•Sleep•Dream & death-like states

Live burial

Doubles/twins

•Discovery of obscure family ties•Incest

Unnatural silences;

unspeakable ideas and

events

Guilt and shame – and the effects of

them

Secret and undecipher

able writings

•Cats•Bats•Wolves

Moonlight

Oppressive atmosphere

of doom

Blood

Murder

Fear