What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie Think about a scary movie you enjoy… Think about a scary movie you enjoy… What happens—plot? What happens—plot? Where

What’s Your Favorite What’s Your Favorite Scary MovieScary Movie

Think about a scary movie you Think about a scary movie you enjoy…enjoy…

What happens—plot?What happens—plot? Where does it take place—the Where does it take place—the

setting?setting? Why do people like to be scared?Why do people like to be scared?

The Dark The Dark RomanticsRomantics

Gothic LiteratureGothic Literature

1760-1820…and 1760-1820…and beyondbeyond

““Can we speak of Can we speak of ‘ghosts’ without ‘ghosts’ without transforming the transforming the whole world and whole world and

ourselves, too, into ourselves, too, into phantoms?”phantoms?”

Jean-Michale RebatéJean-Michale Rebaté

The Origins of the term The Origins of the term Gothic (“Gothick”)Gothic (“Gothick”)

GothicGothic Originally referred to the Originally referred to the

northern Gothic tribes that northern Gothic tribes that invaded Europe in the 4invaded Europe in the 4thth, , 55thth, and 6, and 6thth centuries centuries

Later applied to Renaissance Later applied to Renaissance architecture (critics thought architecture (critics thought the style originated with the the style originated with the Gothic tribe)Gothic tribe)

Was considered ugly, barbaric, Was considered ugly, barbaric, archaicarchaic

Gothic ArchitectureGothic ArchitectureFirst Gothic First Gothic

Cathedral build in Cathedral build in 11441144

Gargoyles Gargoyles (originally for (originally for religious buildings)religious buildings)

Vaulted ceilingsVaulted ceilings Structural ribbing Structural ribbing

(skeletal)(skeletal) Stained glassStained glass

Art InfluencesArt Influences

““The Nightmare”The Nightmare”Johann Heinrick FuseliJohann Heinrick Fuseli

The Beginning The Beginning

1764- Horace Walpole publishes 1764- Horace Walpole publishes The Castle The Castle of Otranto: A Gothic Storyof Otranto: A Gothic Story anonymously anonymously

Contains essentially all the elements Contains essentially all the elements associated with the genreassociated with the genre

Best-sellerBest-seller Had remodeled his home in “Gothick” styleHad remodeled his home in “Gothick” style

Said that the inspiration of his story was a Said that the inspiration of his story was a dream that was so haunting, he had to write it dream that was so haunting, he had to write it downdown

Elements of Gothic Elements of Gothic LiteratureLiterature

1. Setting1. Setting Action takes place in Action takes place in

or around an or around an old old castlecastle

Seems abandoned, or Seems abandoned, or broken downbroken down

Has secret passages, Has secret passages, doors, roomsdoors, rooms

Usually very large, but Usually very large, but seems claustrophobicseems claustrophobic


2. An atmosphere of mystery or 2. An atmosphere of mystery or suspensesuspense

Feeling of being threatened or fearfulFeeling of being threatened or fearful Plot is built around a mystery (such as Plot is built around a mystery (such as

unknown parentage, a disappearance, unknown parentage, a disappearance, or some other inexplicable event)or some other inexplicable event)

This is achieved by the next three This is achieved by the next three elements…elements…


3. An ancient 3. An ancient prophecyprophecy

Usually connected Usually connected with the castle or its with the castle or its inhabitantsinhabitants

Obscure, partial, or Obscure, partial, or confusingconfusing

The characters The characters struggle to struggle to understandunderstand


4. Omens, visions4. Omens, visions Character may have a disturbing

dream/vision Some phenomenon may be seen as an omen

of coming events If the statue of the lord of the manor falls over, it

may predict his death

Elements of Gothic Elements of Gothic LiteratureLiterature5. Supernatural or otherwise 5. Supernatural or otherwise

inexplicable eventsinexplicable events Dramatic or amazing events occurDramatic or amazing events occur

Such as ghosts or giants, or inanimate Such as ghosts or giants, or inanimate objects (such as a suit of armor or painting) objects (such as a suit of armor or painting) coming to lifecoming to life

In some works, the events are ultimately In some works, the events are ultimately given a natural explanation, while in given a natural explanation, while in others the events are truly supernaturalothers the events are truly supernatural


6. High, overwrought emotion6. High, overwrought emotion Narration may be highly sentimentalNarration may be highly sentimental Characters are often overcome by Characters are often overcome by

anger, sorrow, surprise, and especially, anger, sorrow, surprise, and especially, terror. terror.

Suffer from raw nerves and a feelings of Suffer from raw nerves and a feelings of impending doom impending doom Crying and emotional speeches are Crying and emotional speeches are

frequentfrequent Breathlessness and panic are common Breathlessness and panic are common

Elements of Gothic Elements of Gothic LiteratureLiterature7. Women in distress7. Women in distress

Female characters often face Female characters often face events that leave them events that leave them fainting, terrified, screaming, fainting, terrified, screaming, and/or sobbingand/or sobbing

Lonely, pensive, and Lonely, pensive, and oppressed heroine, often the oppressed heroine, often the central figure central figure Her sufferings are even more Her sufferings are even more

pronounced and the focus of pronounced and the focus of attention than the other attention than the other characters in the storycharacters in the story

Elements of Gothic Elements of Gothic LiteratureLiterature8. Women threatened by a 8. Women threatened by a

powerful, tyrannical malepowerful, tyrannical male A male character (king, lord A male character (king, lord

of the manor, father) has the of the manor, father) has the power to demand the female power to demand the female character/s do something character/s do something intolerable intolerable May be commanded to marry May be commanded to marry

someone she does not love , or someone she does not love , or commit a crime, keeps her commit a crime, keeps her locked awaylocked away


9. The metonymy of gloom and horror9. The metonymy of gloom and horror Metonymy is a subtype of metaphor, in Metonymy is a subtype of metaphor, in

which something (like rain) is used to which something (like rain) is used to stand for something else (like sorrow). stand for something else (like sorrow).

Metaphors use words. Metonymy uses Metaphors use words. Metonymy uses images and soundimages and sound


Wind, especially howlingWind, especially howling Doors grating on rusty Doors grating on rusty

hingeshinges Footsteps approaching Footsteps approaching Gusts of wind blowing Gusts of wind blowing

out lightsout lights Characters trapped in a Characters trapped in a

room room Baying of dogs (or Baying of dogs (or

wolves) wolves) Thunder and/or lightning Thunder and/or lightning

RainRain Sighs, moans, howlsSighs, moans, howls Clanking chains Clanking chains Lights in abandoned Lights in abandoned

rooms rooms Doors suddenly Doors suddenly

slamming shut slamming shut Crazed laughterCrazed laughter ChildrenChildren


10. Unreliable Narrator10. Unreliable Narrator Character telling the Character telling the

story isn’t trustworthystory isn’t trustworthy Villain narratesVillain narrates Narrator is or goes Narrator is or goes

insane as the story insane as the story goes ongoes on

Narrator has limited Narrator has limited informationinformation

Is your movie Gothic?Is your movie Gothic? SettingSetting MysteryMystery Ancient prophecyAncient prophecy Omen/VisionOmen/Vision SupernaturalSupernatural High emotionHigh emotion Women in distressWomen in distress Women being threatened by manWomen being threatened by man MetonymyMetonymy Unreliable narratorUnreliable narrator

ExamplesExamples

The Ring Trailer: The Ring Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6HaoRFgSUw

GEICO ad:GEICO ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AW

v-dIUP9oc

CriticismCriticism

Gothic tradition has not been very Gothic tradition has not been very highly regardedhighly regarded

Attracted many “big” writers: Keats, Attracted many “big” writers: Keats, Melville, Faulkner Melville, Faulkner but it is usually not these works that are but it is usually not these works that are

highlightedhighlighted Women also wrote in this genreWomen also wrote in this genre

Jane Austin Jane Austin (Northanger Abbey),(Northanger Abbey), Mary Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (Wollstonecraft Shelley (Frankenstein)Frankenstein)

RevivalsRevivals

1818: 1818: FrankensteinFrankenstein 1897: 1897: DraculaDracula 1960’s: Gothic was the best-selling 1960’s: Gothic was the best-selling

mass market fictionmass market fiction 1970-present: Stephen King 1970-present: Stephen King 2005: biggest money making movie 2005: biggest money making movie

genre, averaging $75 million per genre, averaging $75 million per movie in box office salesmovie in box office sales

The Master: PoeThe Master: Poe

Edgar Allan Poe is the Edgar Allan Poe is the master of gothic master of gothic literatureliterature

He is famous for this use He is famous for this use of personal tragedies, of personal tragedies, especially with women, especially with women, in his workin his work

Poe is most popular Poe is most popular because of his mastery because of his mastery of fear, suspense, and of fear, suspense, and deathdeath

Poe’s biographyPoe’s biography

As most authors do, Poe used his As most authors do, Poe used his personal life as motivation to writepersonal life as motivation to write

PoePoe With the exception of “The Raven,” not With the exception of “The Raven,” not

famous in his own timefamous in his own time His literary criticism made him more enemiesHis literary criticism made him more enemies

What does a Literary Critic do? He didn’t make much money on his writingHe didn’t make much money on his writing Died of unknown causes, destitute and alone Died of unknown causes, destitute and alone

Shortly after his death, rival author/frenemy Shortly after his death, rival author/frenemy Rufus Griswold set out to ruin Poe's Rufus Griswold set out to ruin Poe's reputation with a lurid biography that painted reputation with a lurid biography that painted him as a drug user and madman. The scheme him as a drug user and madman. The scheme backfired when Poe's sales skyrocketed and a backfired when Poe's sales skyrocketed and a legend was born. legend was born.

Works UsedWorks Used Bayer-Berenbaum, Linda. “Elements of a Gothic.” Bayer-Berenbaum, Linda. “Elements of a Gothic.” Horror.Horror. Ed. Michael Ed. Michael

Stuprich. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. 72-83.Stuprich. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. 72-83.

““Door: Metal: Squeaky Metal Restroom Door in Building: Close: Slow Creak.” Door: Metal: Squeaky Metal Restroom Door in Building: Close: Slow Creak.” Sound Ideas. 2007. Sound Ideas. 2007. Unitedstreaming. 17 April 2007. http://www.unitedstreaming.com/>. Unitedstreaming. 17 April 2007. http://www.unitedstreaming.com/>.

The Gothic ImaginationThe Gothic Imagination. Ruthford: Associated University Press, Ltd., 1982.. Ruthford: Associated University Press, Ltd., 1982. ““Gothic Architecture.” Gothic Architecture.” Wikipedia OnlineWikipedia Online. 2005. 6 March 2005 . 2005. 6 March 2005

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothic_architecture..

Harris, Robert. “Elements of the Gothic Novel.” Harris, Robert. “Elements of the Gothic Novel.” VirtualSalt.VirtualSalt. 2005. 6 March 2005. 6 March 2005. 2005.

http://www.virtualsalt.com/gothic.htm..

Williams, Anne. “The Gothic Novel.” Williams, Anne. “The Gothic Novel.” Horror.Horror. Ed. Michael Stuprich. San Diego: Ed. Michael Stuprich. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2001. 62-71.Greenhaven Press, 2001. 62-71.

Wolfreys, Julian. Wolfreys, Julian. Victoria Haunting: Spectrality, Gothic, the Uncanny and Victoria Haunting: Spectrality, Gothic, the Uncanny and Literature.Literature.

Houndsmills: Palgrave, 2001.Houndsmills: Palgrave, 2001.

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What’s Your Favorite Scary Movie Think about a scary movie you enjoy… Think about a scary movie you enjoy… What happens—plot? What happens—plot? Where