What is meant by the term gothic
What is meant by the 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’. Horace Walpole himself had transgressed the boundaries slightly; by introducing this new style of writing he had added a whole new genre into literature. Walpole’s style of writing was unique and captivated the readers mind and imagination to let he or she share the act of transgression, or as Robert Kidd, a renowned critic put it, “The Gothic has somehow seduced the reader so that he or she is complicit in engaging in whatever he or she might encounter”. This is what kept Gothicism alive, the author’s ability to intrigue the reader and give them a thirst to read more gothic literature.
The term Gothic has been viewed as very different things over time. Gothicism came about at a very tumultuous time, after the fall of the Roman Empire, a time of raw and uncontrolled exercise of physical power. The Goths were a barbaric tribe of murderers, rapists and thieves, later the term was known as ‘Medieval’. Nowadays the term Gothic is viewed very differently by modern society, when thought about now, one thinks of it as horror. It is in rock bands, the theatre, but mainly in the modern film industry. Gothicism has become somewhat of an obsession to modern film producers and leading film companies in recent years. This acceleration of Gothic themed films started in 1922 with the film ‘Nosferatu’; this was then followed by ‘Rebecca’ in 1940. And the list continues, Sleepy Hollow (1999), Corpse Bride (2005), Sweeney Todd (2007), and one of the more modern examples,
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’. Horace Walpole himself had transgressed the boundaries slightly; by introducing this new style of writing he had added a whole new genre into literature. Walpole’s style of writing was unique and captivated the readers mind and imagination to let he or she share the act of transgression, or as Robert Kidd, a renowned critic put it, “The Gothic has somehow seduced the reader so that he or she is complicit in engaging in whatever he or she might encounter”. This is what kept Gothicism alive, the author’s ability to intrigue the reader and give them a thirst to read more gothic literature.
The term Gothic has been viewed as very different things over time. Gothicism came about at a very tumultuous time, after the fall of the Roman Empire, a time of raw and uncontrolled exercise of physical power. The Goths were a barbaric tribe of murderers, rapists and thieves, later the term was known as ‘Medieval’. Nowadays the term Gothic is viewed very differently by modern society, when thought about now, one thinks of it as horror. It is in rock bands, the theatre, but mainly in the modern film industry. Gothicism has become somewhat of an obsession to modern film producers and leading film companies in recent years. This acceleration of Gothic themed films started in 1922 with the film ‘Nosferatu’; this was then followed by ‘Rebecca’ in 1940. And the list continues, Sleepy Hollow (1999), Corpse Bride (2005), Sweeney Todd (2007), and one of the more modern examples,