How to Start a Gothic Tale
- At the beginning, describe the setting and characters present.
- Leave some things for later, like the villain.
- Gothic novels involve mystery around the supernatural.
- Some famous examples are The Mysteries of Udolpho, Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights, and Dracula.
Elements of Gothic Horror
- The battle between humanity and evil within an oppressive landscape is a Gothic horror trademark.
- These core elements separate Gothic horror from Gothic romance.
The Origin and Spread of Gothic Architecture
- Gothic architecture, which began in France, is one of the most significant architectural styles.
- It is rare to pinpoint the origin of a style, but Gothic began at the church of Saint Denis.
- An increased population and a strengthened monarch contributed to Gothic architecture focused on cathedrals.
- While developed in Northern France, Gothic spread across Europe.
The plot of a classic gothic novel is a young woman being trapped by a wicked man and rescued by another. Characteristics of the Gothic include: death and decay, haunted homes/castles, family curses, madness, powerful love/romance, ghosts, and vampires. The genre became popular in the late 18th century with the publication of Horace Walpole’s novel The Castle of Otranto in 1764.
Common themes of Gothic include power, confinement, and isolation. Gothic literature combines romance and horror.