Gothic Novel in English Literature Definition, Features and Examples II What is Gothic Literature?

It was a dark and stormy night and the door opened with a cracking noise and entered a headless lady in a white sari…”

Do you love to read a story of ghosts or watch horror films? If yes, you might be a fan of Gothic literature. 

DEFINITION OF GOTHIC NOVELS:

Gothic novels are stories that incorporate

horror and romanticism and often include

supernatural events and mystery.

ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF GOTHIC NOVELS:

The term ‘Gothic Novel’ comes from the term “Goths”. The Goths were one of the many Germanic tribes. They fought numerous battles with the Roman Empire in the ancient times. Gothic novels are called so because all these novels seem to take place in Gothic-styled architecture which was mainly castles, mansions, and religious houses.

Gothic novels in in English literature originated during the 18^th century and gained wide popularity during the 19^th century.

·      Horace Walpole's ‘The Castle of Otranto’, published in 1764 is considered as the first Gothic novel of English literature.

·      ‘The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ (1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson and ‘Dracula’ (1897) by Abraham Stoker are other popular Gothic novels of the 19^th century.

FEATURES OF GOTHIC NOVELS:

Gothic novels are the stories full of horror, terror, mystery, suspense and romance. Some common features of Gothic novels are as under.

1.   The Gothic novels are set in some haunted houses and castles which have some mysterious and secret pathways. They narrate the imaginative mythical stories of the ancient times.

2.   Characters are mostly supernatural elements, ghosts, witches, zombies, vampires, monsters etc.

3.   Action takes place out of some prophesies and curses.

4.   Action revolves around the damsels (young woman) in distress.

5.   The story is full of romance, adventure and emotions.

These Gothic elements were found in poetry and novels written during the 19^th and 20th centuries. In Coleridge’s poems ‘Kubla Khan’  and ‘Christabel’, in Keats’ poems  ‘The Eve of St. Agnes’ and ‘La Belle Dame Sans Mercy’ and in Shelley’s ‘The Witch of Atlas’ we find these Gothic elements. Hence, these poems too were called Gothic poems.

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