![]() As with any genre, the frameworks of the Gothic can be studied, as well as disrupted. In many ways, the Gothic genre invites many larger questions about the literary field, including-but not limited to-the ideas of how and when literary “canons” are formed, by whom, and under what conditions. Gothic literature has a long, complex, and multi-layered history. The Fall of the House of Usher: Wood engaving by Abner J. The American Gothic can be approached as a cultural lens, through which we can examine the social, political, and aesthetic investments of a particular historical period. Narratives about crumbling castles and damsels in distress may not be in style anymore, but many characteristics of the Gothic prevail today in popular culture-ranging from the Harry Potter series, to noir films, to the Twilight franchise.įor the purposes of introducing and studying the Gothic in the classroom, however, one important characteristic is the particular role the genre plays in American literature, history, and culture. While many Gothic texts include seemingly impossible scenarios and otherworldly events, the biggest, and most effective, thrill of the Gothic is how it taps into the essential terrors of human experience, hidden fears and desires, and the hauntings of the historical past. ![]() Cuddon aptly describes one important quality of the Gothic: “an atmosphere of brooding gloom” ( Dictionary of Literary Terms, 381-82). Common characteristics of classic Gothic literature include: wild and desolate landscapes ancient buildings (ruined mansions, monasteries, etc.) castles and dungeons secret doors and winding stairways and apparitions and phantoms (“Literary Terms and Definitions”). Broadly conceived, the Gothic is a sub-category of the Romantic genre including poetry, short stories, or novels designed to thrill readers by providing mystery and blood-curdling accounts of villainy, murder, and the supernatural. Many authors of Gothic literature capitalized on those creepy feelings in order to usher in a new literary experience for readers. Those feelings are intrinsic to the experience of reading Gothic literature. IntroductionĮver read a strange book or watch a scary film, and feel the hairs on your arms stand on end? Ever get the “chills” encountering a creepy story, or have a hard-to-pin-down, icky feeling while standing in a cemetery or house that feels “haunted”? Have you ever had a funny feeling, but can’t quite put your finger on what it is that’s actually bothering you? Originally published by Newberry Digital Collections for the Classroom, , Newberry Library, republished with permission for educational, non-commercial purposes. ![]() DXXII / British Library, Creative Commons Add MS 78689 – Letter from Ann Radcliffe to her mother-in-law, from the EVELYN PAPERS Vol.
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