1: Gothic Horror and Frankenstein

Gothic Fiction and Horror

Gothic Fiction or Gothic Horror is a genre of literature that combines fiction, horror and Romanticism. The effect of Gothic fiction feeds on a pleasing sort of terror, an extension of Romantic literary pleasures with melodrama and parody being other long-standing features of the Gothic theme. It originated in England in the second half of the 18th century and had much success in the 19th as witnessed by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and the works of Edgar Allan Poe and other well-known novels in this genre, dating from the late Victorian era like Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The name Gothic refers to the (pseudo)-medieval buildings in which many of these stories take place. This extreme form of romanticism was very popular in England and Germany.

Things we are reminded of with the word Gothic

• ·   Religion
• ·      Ornate architecture
• ·      Ghoulish creatures of the night
• ·      Romance
• ·      Darkness
• ·      Black and White imagery
• ·      Vampires
• ·      Frankenstein
• ·      Superstition
• ·      Submissive females
• ·      Tragedy
• ·      Death
• ·      Science
• ·      Halloween

Influence on Contemporary Culture

When talking of Gothic things Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein tends to be a pretty blatant example of everything that embodies the genre. Its got all the tropes associated with the genre giving us the vivid imagery and aesthetics we now tie with the Horror genre as a whole.  All the things I listed above derived from only hearing the word “gothic” are found in the novel in some sort of way. The Novel is beautiful and I hold it in high regard but unfortunately it’s suffered some misrepresentation over the years in contemporary culture obviously not intended by the author. Media especially in films have referenced Frankenstein for years now mostly with integrity but since its been associated with the Horror Genre for so long like most things it’s been exposed to parody. Parodies are not a bad thing though they serve as a lighthearted reminder of the original source material, so in a way it’s kept the novel alive.  The film Young Frankenstein is a great example, I love that movie so much. This Gothic aesthetic parody has bled into pop culture becoming the general representation of the horror genre to all newcomers. Just walk into a Halloween store…it’s pretty obvious.