Gothic novel

The Gothic Novel The gothic novel is an European Romantic, pseudomedieval literature genre, that took shape in England in 1790 to 1830. It was invented by Horace Walpole, whose The Castle od Otranto (1765) became the epitome of this genre. „The gothic has been associated with with a rebellion against a constraining neoclassical aestehetic ideal of order and unity“ (Kilgour, 1995) The action takes place (mostly at night) in and around an old castle, which mostly contains secret passages, trap doors, secret rooms and dark or hidden staircases. It not only evokes the atmosphere of horror, dread, mystery and suspense, but also portrays the deterioration of its world. The decaying, ruined scenery implies that at one time there was a thriving world. At one time the abbey, castle, or landscape was something treasured and appreciated. Now, all that lasts is the decaying shell of a once thriving dwelling. Supernatural or otherwise inexplicable events are taking place in gothic novels. Dramatic, amazing events occur, such as ghosts or giants walking, or inanimate objects coming to life. In some works, the events are ultimately given a natural explanation, while in others the events are truly supernatural. The Gothic Novel also deals with sublime. The technique of sublime became used as a way of talking about the impact of certain dramatic or powerful manifestations of nature (towering mountains, storms, etc) or supernature (demons, angels, ghosts). There is always the Gothic hero, the protagonist, who is isolated voluntarily or involuntarily. Then there is the villain, who is the epitome of evil, either by his own fall from grace, or by some implicit malevolence.

Sources: Kilgour, Maggie: The Rise of the Gothic Novel, London, 1995. http://cai.ucdavis.edu/waters-sites/gothicnovel/155breport.html http://www.virtualsalt.com/gothic.htm