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      Gothic Literature

      A genre of writing that explores dark themes, the supernatural, and intense emotions. It often features crumbling castles, haunted houses, and other decaying settings.

      Characteristics:

      • Setting: Gloomy, decaying settings like castles, haunted houses, and isolated estates
      • Themes: Fear, horror, death, gloom, romance, nature, individuality, and high emotion
      • Supernatural elements: Ghosts, vampires, zombies, giants, curses, and prophecies
      • Narrative devices: Startling and melodramatic
      • Atmosphere: Exoticism, mystery, fear, and dread

      History:

      • Gothic literature originated in Europe in the 18th century
      • It grew out of the Romantic literary movement
      • The genre was established with the publication of The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole in 1764
      • Edgar Allan Poe is considered the Father of American Gothic

      Subgenres Southern Gothic, Gothic romance, Gothic ghost story, and Modern Gothic. Examples The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole, Works by Edgar Allan Poe, and Some of the Harry Potter novels.